Quick Facts - Hospital-Acquired Conditions

Hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) arise when a patient is in the hospital for treatment of an initial, separate illness or injury. Approximately 5% to 10% of hospitalized patients in the United States have HACs every year, at an additional cost to the health care system of $20 billion. HACs include pressure injuries, falls, and infections, most of which are preventable and are classified as Never Events by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Prevention of HACs is key to optimal patient outcomes and successful CMS reimbursement. This fact sheet covers the following topics:Epidemiology and economics of HACsCMS Never Event categoriesFalls and falls prevention initiativesPressure injuries, including those related to medical devicesMethods to prevent hospital-acquired infectionsEffect of the pandemic on HACsAmputation preventionDownload Quick Facts - Hospital-Acquired Conditions for the staff at your facility. With its print-friendly format, it is ideally suited for bulletin board posting, as well as for handing out at your next in-service.