Infection Control

Help increase patient safety in critical care areas.
In hospitals all over the world, hospital-acquired infections pose a health risk to patients as well as a financial risk that can jeopardize efficient medical care.

GE Healthcare’s infection control program addresses these risks by offering a range of disposable equipment such as blood pressure cuffs and ECG Lead Wires that are economical enough to follow patients throughout their entire hospital stay.

Infection Control

Contamination Risks

Be aware of unrecognized sources of contamination.

Key areas of healthcare facilities may contain unrecognized sources of bacterial contamination:

Emergency room patients may contaminate the area with blood or bodily fluids, infectious respiratory evacuations, and unrecognized viral and bacterial illnesses.

Operating room patients are exposed to pathogens at the trauma or surgical incision site, so it’s crucial to eliminate even the smallest deviation in the sterile environment.

Intensive care unit patients face additional risk factors, such as open access to blood flow at the catheter site, contaminated breathing apparatus and open wounds healing by secondary closure.

Infection Statistics

Key figures about hospital-acquired infections in the EU:  

  • HAI infections impact 5% to 10% of hospitalised patients
  • Total number of infections per year: 4-5 million 
  • Main infections sites include:
    • Urinary tract – catheter-associated 
    • Lower respiratory tract – ventilator-associated pneumonia 
    • Bloodstream – central line 
    • Surgical site 
    • Gastrointestinal  
  • Attributable mortality: 
    • Direct – 1% (50,000 deaths per year) 
    • Contribution – 2.7% (135,000 deaths per year) 
  • Average excess length of stay: 4-6 days
  • Cost increase per patient: €320 
  • Overall direct cost: €7 billion, indirect costs: €13-24 billion