Why A Medical Facility May Be Liable For Your HAI

People visit healthcare facilities to get treatment for many medical conditions, including infections. Unfortunately, you might pick up an infection at a healthcare facility when receiving treatment for another condition. If that happens, the facility might be liable for your healthcare-acquired infection (HAI).

Below are some circumstances under which a hospital might be liable for your HAI.

The Hospital Fails to Clean and Sanitize Its Premises

Hospital environments have many dangerous organisms due to the nature of the people who visit hospitals. The medical community has specific standards for minimizing these germs and patients' exposure to germs. For example, hospitals regularly clean their premises, sterilize medical equipment, and sanitize relevant surfaces.

However, a hospital may fail in cleaning or sterilization duties and allow infections to spread. An example is a hospital that fails to update its cleaning standards after a disease outbreak. Such a facility may be liable for ensuring HAIs.

The Hospital Uses Defective Equipment

Medical facilities use different equipment to sterilize and disinfect medical equipment and appliances. They also invest in appliances to trap pathogens in the air and reduce their circulation in different rooms. For example, hospital-grade HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems have air filters that trap tinier particles than residential HVACs.

A defective equipment or appliance might fail and leave germs on sensitive medical devices, such as endocavitary transducers (for internal examination). The contaminated equipment might infect you if a doctor uses it on you. In such a case, you may hold the hospital liable for your infection.

The Hospital Fails to Isolate Infectious Patients

Patients with serious infectious diseases require isolation or quarantine to avoid infecting others. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), infections that require isolation include infectious tuberculosis, cholera, and measles. Seek compensation from a hospital that fails to isolate relevant patients if the failure leads to your infection.

The Hospital Staff Fail in Their Duties

Sometimes, you may trace your HAI to a hospital's staffing issues. For example, inadequate staffing may lead to HAI if the available staff is below the required level and cannot prevent infection. You may also demand compensation from a hospital that hires inadequately trained staff that cannot prevent infections.

For example, a staff member who doesn't know how to operate a steam sterilizer might cause other staff members to use contaminated equipment. In such a case, the hospital may be vicariously liable for its staff's actions.

To learn more, contact a personal injury attorney in your area.