Attributable length of stay, mortality risk and costs of bacterial healthcare-associated infections in Australia: a retrospective case-cohort study

Unbiased estimates of the health and economic impact of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are scarce and focus largely on patients with bloodstream infection (BSI). We sought to estimate the hospital length of stay (LOS), mortality and costs of HAIs and the differential effect on patients with an antimicrobial resistance (AMR) infection.

The health burden remains highest for BSIs, however the UTIs and respiratory tract infections (RTI) contributed most to the healthcare system expenditure.