Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections people get while they are receiving health care for another condition.
HAIs can happen in any health care facility, including hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, end-stage renal disease facilities, and long-term care facilities.
Bacteria, fungi, viruses, or other, less common pathogens can cause HAIs.
HAIs are a significant cause of illness and death — and they can have serious emotional, financial, and medical consequences.
At any given time, about 1 in 31 inpatients have an infection related to hospital care.
These infections lead to tens of thousands of deaths and cost the U.S. health care system billions of dollars each year.