The Burden of Health Care Utilization, Cost, and Mortality Associated with Select Surgical Site Infections
Surgical site infections (SSIs) following cardiac, bariatric, and orthopedic procedures were linked to longer hospital stays, higher readmission rates, increased healthcare and out-of-pocket costs, and elevated mortality following orthopedic procedures, indicating substantial and persistent clinical and financial impacts of SSIs.
Surgical site infections remain a common and largely preventable source of patient harm, contributing to prolonged hospitalizations, complications, and increased healthcare spending. While prevention efforts have reduced SSI rates, limited evidence describes the longer-term clinical and financial burden of SSIs after hospital discharge, including patient out-of-pocket costs and mortality.
Published in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, in partnership with other researchers, this study evaluated the impact of three common SSIs on healthcare utilization, costs, and mortality using matched claims data. The study demonstrated that patients who developed these infections experienced significantly greater post-acute care use and spending for up to a year after surgery, with certain groups also facing higher risk of death, underscoring the sustained clinical and economic burden associated with SSIs.
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