State news

Abstract

As we approach the new millennium, the economic consequences of infection control practice will be vital to our health-care institutions. No study pertinent to the financial impact of hospital-acquired infections has yet been carried out at The Canberra Hospital, but there can be no doubt, as other studies have shown, that infected patients spend on average of 3 to 4 more days in hospital. Additional to the extra length of stay is the cost of further diagnostic tests and Pharmaceuticals, plus the physiological and psychological costs to patients and their families. With this in mind, my colleague Elaine Graham and I will ensure that we continually revise our surveillance and control program, to see us into the year 2000. An example of this program is our bacteraemia study, which we have embarked upon with Riemke Kampen at Calvary Hospital ACT, Elaine Men at John James Memorial Hospital ACT and Nancy Monk at Queanbeyan Hospital in NSW. It is envisaged that the results of this study will help us reduce hospital-acquired bacteraemias and thereby improve on current outcomes.