How to Prevent Hospital Infections: A Patient Guide

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) affect hundreds of thousands of patients each year. While hospitals work to prevent infections, patients and their families can also take important steps to reduce their risk.

Common Hospital-Acquired Infections

• Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI): The most common HAI, linked to urinary catheters
• Surgical site infections (SSI): Infections at the site of surgery
• Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI): Infections from IV lines placed in large veins
• Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP): Pneumonia from breathing machines
• Clostridioides difficile (C. diff): A bacterial infection often linked to antibiotic use
• MRSA: Antibiotic-resistant staph infections

What You Can Do to Prevent Infections

Hand Hygiene

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer
• Ask visitors to clean their hands when entering your room
• Ask your healthcare providers if they've washed their hands before they touch you — this is your right and it saves lives
• Avoid touching your face, wounds, or IV sites with unwashed hands

Speak Up About Devices

• Ask your doctor daily whether your urinary catheter is still needed
• Ask about IV lines and central lines — request removal as soon as possible
• Keep catheter and IV sites clean and dry
• Report any redness, swelling, pain, or drainage at catheter or IV sites immediately

Surgical Site Care

• Follow all pre-surgery instructions (showering with antibacterial soap, etc.)
• Ask your surgeon about infection prevention measures
• Keep your surgical wound clean and follow care instructions after surgery
• Watch for signs of infection: redness, warmth, swelling, drainage, fever

Antibiotic Awareness

• Ask why an antibiotic is being prescribed and if it's necessary
• Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed — complete the full course
• Don't pressure doctors for antibiotics when they're not needed
• Understand that unnecessary antibiotics increase the risk of C. diff and drug-resistant infections

Checking Hospital Infection Rates

• CMS tracks and publicly reports hospital infection rates
• Check infection rates on Medicare Care Compare
• Look for hospitals with infection rates that are "better than" or "no different than" the national benchmark
• Infection rates are reported for CAUTI, CLABSI, SSI, MRSA, and C. diff

Signs of Infection to Report Immediately

• Fever above 101°F (38.3°C)
• Increased pain, redness, or swelling at a wound or catheter site
• Drainage or pus from a wound
• New onset of confusion (especially in elderly patients)
• Diarrhea (especially if you've been on antibiotics)
• Chills or shaking

Data sourced from CMS. Visit Medicare Care Compare to check hospital infection rates, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult healthcare providers about infection prevention.