Basics about Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)

Healthcare-associated infections are a serious patient safety concern. The most common infections are from the urinary tract, surgical sites and the bloodstream. The key is prevention. You, along with members of your healthcare team, play a role in preventing these infections. The steps for decreasing your risk of an HAI are: practicing proper hand hygiene, asking your doctor and healthcare team questions about your care, asking about removing catheters when they are no longer needed and speaking up if you see something that doesn't appear right. Explore the Helpful Links to Learn More below and review the other individual infection-related topic pages for HAI prevention information.

Questions to Consider Asking Your Doctor

• What are you doing to prevent healthcare-associated infections?
• How long do I need to have this catheter?
• What steps should I take to prevent HAIs?

Helpful Links to Learn More