Safer hospitals through smarter spaces

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) pose a significant challenge to patient safety and healthcare delivery. According to a 2022 report from the World Health Organization (WHO), out of every 100 patients in acute-care hospitals, seven patients in high-income countries and 15 patients in low- and middle-income countries will acquire at least one HCAI during their hospital stay. On average,
1 in every 10 affected patients will die from their HCAI. People in intensive care and newborns are particularly at risk.¹

In 2018, a report by Public Health England found that HCAIs in England resulted in an estimated 2.9 million extra bed days, 1 million antibiotic prescriptions and an estimated cost of £1 bn annually to the NHS. The report also highlighted the impact of HCAIs on patient outcomes, finding that patients with HCAIs had a 2-20 times higher risk of mortality compared to those without an infection.² In addition, HCAIs can lead to prolonged hospital stays, with affected patients remaining in hospital 2.5 times longer than uninfected patients. The total annual cost of HCAIs in the UK is estimated to be £774 m.³ These staggering statistics highlight the critical need for robust infection prevention and control measures. The potential speed of infection transmission is alarmingly fast, and this is why infection control remains such a challenge for healthcare providers.

Two primary factors contribute to HCAIs: patient-related factors and healthcare-related factors. Patient-related factors include a weakened immune system, age and underlying medical conditions, while healthcare-related factors include poor hand hygiene, contaminated equipment and environments, invasive procedures and antimicrobial resistance. For the purposes of this feature, we will focus on healthcare-related factors.