Healthcare-associated infections

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), such as medical device related infections, affect patients being cared for in hospitals or in other healthcare facilities and during medical or surgical procedures.

According to the WHO, out of 100 hospitalized patients, seven will contract at least one HAI, while the risk doubles and can be up to 20 times higher in low and middle-income countries. The main drivers are urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, airway-related infections, and surgical wounds.

HAIs cause unnecessary suffering, longer hospital stays, high costs and a greater burden on healthcare and society.

Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

What are medical device related infections?

In contemporary medical settings, a variety of invasive tools and techniques are utilized to assist patient treatment and recovery. However, these devices, like catheters and ventilators, can lead to infections. Such infections are termed healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and are a significant concern for patient safety.

Key types of HAIs include bloodstream infections linked to central lines, urinary tract infections associated with catheters, and pneumonia that can occur with the use of ventilators. Additionally, infections can develop at surgical sites, termed surgical site infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) actively engages in monitoring and preventing these infections to enhance healthcare safety.

Millions of lives can be saved every year by preventing infections and with less HAIs, less quantities of antibiotics will be used. WHO asserts that infection prevention measures are among the most effective and cost-efficient strategies available and can decrease HAIs by up to 70 percent while simultaneously playing a pivotal role in limiting AMR. Infection prevention is key in ensuring safe, effective, and high-quality healthcare and is also important from a global sustainability perspective.

Prevention is better than cure

Bactiguard’s coating technology forms an important link in the healthcare value chain in the fight against HAIs, as it significantly reduces the risk of medical device related infections. 

Medical devices intended to remain in the body for more than two days should have an infection-preventive coating. Bactiguard offers this: a safe, effective, and biocompatible coating technology that makes it easy to prevent medical device related infections. 

It is clinically proven that the technology is safe and biocompatible, and significantly reduces the risk of medical device related infections.