Recent studies clearly demonstrate that 50% to 80% of nosocomial infections are avoidable if adequate preventative measures are introduced. Moreover, it costs the health care system 30% to 50% less to implement preventative measures than it does to treat nosocomial infections.

I. The World Health Organization (WHO) released some revealing statistics in October 2005:

The cost of treating four or five infected patients is the equivalent of the annual budgetary allotment for antiseptic hand cleaning products.

The cost of treating serious surgical infections, blood poisoning, and respiratory infections combined is much greater than a hospital's annual budget for antiseptic hand cleaning products.

In Russia, the cost of treating a single nosocomial infection in an intensive care unit is the equivalent of using a hand antiseptic for 3,265 days.

In Geneva, Switzerland's CHU Hospitals, the total cost of antiseptic hand care products is less that one percent of the cost of treating nosocomial infections. Proper hand hygiene alone reduces infections by 50%.

II. A study carried out in Michigan, USA between 2003 and 2005 examined 127 intensive care units in 77 hospitals, and concluded that implementing stringent preventative measures reduced nosocomial blood infections by 80%, and respiratory infections by 45%. During the last six months of the study, 67 of the 127 units reported absolutely no blood or respiratory infections. The researchers estimated that 1500 deaths were prevented and that the health care system was able to save 166 million dollars.

In Pennsylvania's Allegheny Hospital, the introduction of preventative measures reduced blood infections by 95%, and the death rate by 90%. In the year following the implementation of preventative measures, the hospital saved 1.4 million dollars.

III. In Quebec, Le Comité d'examen pour la prevention et le contrôle des infections nosocomial infections revealed that in 2005, the establishment of preventative measures reduced N.I.'s by 30%, and resulted in savings of 44 million dollars out of an annual cost of 144 million dollars.

By reducing nosocomial infections by 50%, the Quebec health care system could save as much as 70 to 80 million dollars. Moreover, six hundred hospital beds would be freed, which in turn would reduce pressure on emergency units. Waiting lists would be similarly reduced.

The Le Gardeur Hospital in Montreal is an excellent example of how preventative measures can significantly reduce costs. In April 2003, the hospital established a policy to ensure that all health care workers practiced proper hand hygiene. Although the initial cost of the program was $170,000, the hospital saved $811,000 because the infection rate had been significantly reduced. The SARM infections targeted by the policy had previously cost the hospital 1.5 million dollars annually. After preventative measures were introduced, the total number of infections was reduced by 50%. Specifically, blood infections were reduced by 69%, and the death rate by 71%.

Conclusion: Money invested in preventative measures pays for itself many times over. The benefits are significant. Tens of thousands of infections can be avoided and thousands of deaths prevented. The savings generated by the introduction of preventative measures can be reinvested, thereby improving the efficiency, safety, and quality of health care. Prevention renders heath care services more accessible, relieves pressure on emergency units, and reduces waiting lists.