A case of hospital-acquired flesh-eating bacterial infection has brought attention to the necessity of very basic hygiene practices. A California woman contracted the bacteria from hospital staff who failed to wash their hands often, especially after handling other patients. As part of a settlement of the woman’s medical malpractice claim, the hospital made cultures of bacteria from the hands of physicians, nurses and staff and put them up as screen servers to remind their staff that washing hands is important to patient safety and disease prevention.
The last thing a sick patient wants to hear is that they have contracted an additional disease while in the hospital for medical treatment. Medical malpractice claims arising out of un-hygenic practices by health care professionals while caring for patients can be greatly reduced if hospitals adopt strict policies on disease prevention including basic common sense hygiene…and most importantly, demand strict adherence to those policies by their staffs.
Richard J. Arsenault, 2011
