News Releases

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Healthcare-associated infections (also known as HAIs) contribute to a startling 99,000 patient deaths annually¹ and alone account for $30 billion a year in U.S. healthcare costs.² Just as there are various ways healthcare-associated infections can be acquired, liability for healthcare organizations and professionals can occur in many different situations, making HAIs an ever-present safety risk both in terms of patient injury and related financial risk. ACE Group announced the release of an in-depth advisory on the risks associated with healthcare-associated infections and how healthcare organizations can help protect patients and themselves against potential hazards and liabilities.

“Healthcare-Associated Infections: A Deeper Look” was co-authored by Diane Doherty, Vice President and Edward Dunn, Vice President, ACE Medical Risk Group. This report is the latest installment in ACE’s series of insurance and risk management perspectives for risk managers.

“According to the World Health Organization, seven out of every 100 hospitalized patients at any given time will acquire at least one healthcare-associated infection,” said Ms. Doherty. “As this trend is on the rise, it is important that healthcare organization’s put patient safety first. In addition to clinical risks, healthcare leaders must understand the threats healthcare-associated infections pose to their organizations’ financial well-being and reputation. Developing effective prevention strategies, a comprehensive risk management plan and ensuring the appropriate insurance coverage is in place will help to combat healthcare-associated infections and keep healthcare organization’s one step ahead.”

ACE’s advisory arms hospitals with important information they need to manage risk from healthcare-associated infections.

Key Highlights from the ACE Advisory include:

• Types of healthcare-associated infections and how they spread in healthcare settings
• Use of universal infection precautions and procedures to protect against healthcare-associated infections
• Proper and efficient use of environmental hygiene measures to mitigate the spread of infections
• Risk management and insurance considerations for healthcare entities to protect against enterprise-wide losses

To access the full report, please visit our website. The material presented in this report is not intended to provide legal or other expert advice. It is presented as information only. Readers should consult legal counsel or other technical experts, as applicable, for answers to specific questions.

About ACE Group

ACE Group is one of the world’s largest multiline property and casualty insurers. With operations in 54 countries, ACE provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident supplemental health insurance, reinsurance, and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. ACE Limited, the parent company of ACE Group, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ACE) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Additional information can be found at www.acegroup.com, or follow ACE on Twitter,https://twitter.com/ACEGroupNA.

^1. Klevens RM. et al. “Estimating Health Care-associated Infections and Deaths in US Hospitals, 2002.” Public Health Report. 2007 Mar–Apr; 122(2):160-6. [embed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17357358]

^2. See “Medicare Fines 2,610 Hospitals in the Third Round of Readmission Penalties,” Kaiser Health News, Oct. 2, 2014 [embed: http://khn.org/news/medicare-readmissions-penalties-2015/] and “AHRQ’s Efforts to Prevent and Reduce Health Care-Associated Infections,” Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. [embed:http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/errors-safety/haiflyer/]

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Contact:

ACE Group
Jeffrey Zack, 212-827-4444
Jeffrey.Zack@acegroup.com