Implementation of Basic and Practical Approaches to Reduce Urinary Tract Infections and Related Costs in a Nursing Facility

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most frequent infections in long-term care facilities preceded only by respiratory conditions. The incidence of UTIs in nursing facilities (NFs) is 0.19-2.3 cases per 1000 resident care days making these residents more at risk of developing infection and with a higher rate of hospitals admissions than people living in a community. In 2011, more than 400,000 patients were hospitalized in the United States with a primary diagnosis of UTIs at an estimated cost of $2.8 billion.