We associate hospitals and clinics with good health – after all, this is where we go when things are less than perfect with our bodies. However, the reality is a bit different –a WHO study reveals that out of every 100 hospitalized patients, 7 in developed and 10 in developing countries will acquire at least one healthcare-associated infection.In high-income countries, almost 30% of patients in ICU set-ups get at least one healthcare-associated infection.
This means patients can actually end up with more add-on illnesses and problems during their stay at a hospital. Some of these Hospital Acquired Conditions such as Urinary Tract infections are easier to treat, but some patients, especially the elderly and newborns, can be seriously impacted.
Along with negatively impacting patient experience, Hospital Acquired Conditions also cost the institution and the healthcare system millions of dollars –It is estimated that it directly accounts for an annual financial loss of around US$ 6.5 billion just in the USA.
Using Healthcare AI to Handle the Problem
Prevention and better care conditions are naturally the first steps towards reducing Healthcare Associated Infections, and while creating and maintaining standards and investing in training is vital, it is obvious that vigilance in care routines is not enough to stop the rise of Hospital-acquired conditions.
This is where technology steps in - innovations in the field of Artificial Intelligence have led to the creation of Healthcare AI solutions. These software models can be integrated within the hospital systems and work with complex layers of data to ascertain, which patients are at a higher risk of acquiring hospital related conditions!
While it might sound very much like looking into the future, it is, in fact, cutting-edge technology using predictive analysis to forecast with accuracy. Along with predicting problem areas or identifying high-risk patients, these Healthcare solutions also produce road-maps and suggestions to correct the problem in time.
This is not future tech! Several hospitals across the US are already using Healthcare AI systems with great success. Next step is to ensure that technology can benefit more people across the globe.
