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Infection control by design

By Karen Kroll / Special to Healthcare Facilities Today
March 27, 2014 Follow @HFToday

About five percent of all hospital patients contract a hospital-acquired infection (HAI), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates. Estimates of the direct financial costs to hospitals go as high as $45 billion annually, according to a 2009 report by the CDC.

Along with other steps, including thorough hand-washing by medical professionals, that can reduce the risk of HAIs, the design of the healthcare environment has a role to play...

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