Economic burden of healthcare-associated infection in US acute care hospitals: societal perspective

Figures & data

Table 1. Societal cost of hospital-acquired infections.

Category	Societal low	Societal high
Direct costs (Billions)
Index hospitalization	$24.8	$53.9
Professional fees index hospitalization	$4.9	$13.2
Post-discharge outpatient	$0.2	$0.2
Readmission post-index hospitalization	$3.4	$4.0
Professional fees readmission	$0.7	$1.0
Post-discharge diagnosed infection	$0.3	$1.7
Sub-totals	$34.3	$74
Indirect costs
Lost wages, incapacitation	$2.5	$3.9
Lost future wages, premature death	$59.1	$68.7
Sub-totals	$61.6	$72.6
Total societal costs
Societal cost of illness	$96*	$147*

*Individual costs were rounded to nearest 0.1 billion.