Family Practice: Staying Healthy in the Hospital

By Michele Blandino

As strange as it may sound, spending time in a hospital is no longer a guarantee that you will leave healthier than when you arrived.

While the word “hospital” brings to mind images of a sterile rooms and germ-free zones, the reality is that most hospitals are a breeding ground for serious, and in some cases, life threatening infections. Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that each year, nearly two million patients will develop an infection after checking into the hospital for surgery or other types of care. Close to 100,000 of these patients will die as a result of complications brought on by the infections.

That said, how can you be sure that your routine surgery or same-day procedure doesn’t leave you with more problems then you arrived with? Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to reduce the chances that you will become part of these frightening statistics.

Trust your Instincts

The first thing you should do is pay close attention to your body’s signals. If you have any type of infection, including something as relatively harmless as a bladder infection or a case of the sniffles, you should delay your surgery. The presence of any type infection no matter how minor it may be, can make the body more susceptible to further and potentially more dangerous, infections. Similarly, once you are home, be sure to frequently check the incision site for redness, pain or swelling – all warning signs that the area may be infected. If you see any of these indicators, call your doctor immediately.

Check for Training

You should also ask your surgeon about their infection rate. While most doctors won’t be overly anxious to provide this information, it will nonetheless put them on alert that you are quite serious about your health and that you will hold them accountable if something should go wrong. Infection rates of two percent and lower are considered normal. If the rate is higher, you may want to consider using a different surgeon. Similarly, you should ensure that the hospital where you will be having the surgery has an infection control department and that the staff members are properly certified in infection control.

Control your Environment

As pleasant as it is to have company while you are in the hospital, tell well-meaning friends and relatives who may have infections of their own to save their visit for when they are feeling better. Likewise, make sure that everyone, including healthcare practitioners, washes their hands before touching you. Remember, just because a hospital worker may be wearing latex gloves when they enter your room, it does not necessarily mean that those gloves are clean. Ask that they wash their hands and change their gloves before touching you.

While there unfortunately is no guarantee that you will get through your hospital stay infection free, taking some of the precautions listed here will help greatly to greatly increase your chances.