Hospital Acquired Infection Rates Remain Higher Than Pre-Pandemic Levels!

July 16, 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital acquired infection rates associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) increased by 32% and still remain 13% higher than before the start of the pandemic. These findings are from a study of U.S. hospital data that compared AMR levels before, during and after the pandemic.

The study suggests that inappropriate antibiotic use rose dramatically during the pandemic and may have been a contributing factor to the increased rates.

Hospitals with high volumes or surges of severely ill COVID-19 patients showed the greatest increases in hospital-acquired AMR infections, as did larger hospitals with high-bed capacity perhaps because they receive sicker patients.

Controlling and preventing infections in any healthcare setting is a critical aspect to providing safe patient care. Ensure that you have processes in place to help identify and reduce the number of healthcare-associated infections that can occur at your facility with the ultimate goal of preventing them in the first place.

ISMIE’s resource on healthcare-associated infection control offers strategies to support safe patient care and ways to reduce risk.

For more information, please contact the Risk Management Division by email.