Prevention and control of microbial-resistant organisms is one of the most complex management issues that health care professionals face. The clinical and financial burden to patients and health care providers is staggering. Patients who are infected with bacterial strains resistant to more than one type or class of drugs (multidrug-resistant organisms, MDRO) often have an increased risk of prolonged illness, extended hospital stay, and mortality.
The cost of care for these patients can be more than double compared to those without an MDRO infection. The alternative medication they are prescribed to overcome the infection is often substantially more costly. Multidrug resistance forces healthcare providers to use antibiotics that are more expensive or more toxic to the patient.
When no antibiotic is effective, healthcare providers may be limited to providing supportive care rather than directly treating an infection. In a 2008 study of attributable medical costs for antibiotic resistant infections, it was estimated that infections in 188 patients from a single healthcare institution cost between $13.35 and $18.75 million dollars.
Research and development of new drugs effective against resistant bacterial strains also comes at a cost. To prevent antimicrobial resistance, the patient and the healthcare provider should discuss the appropriate medicine for the illness . Patients should follow prescription directions and should not share or take medicine that was prescribed for someone else; these virtues should be strictly practiced. Healthy lifestyle habits, including proper diet, exercise, and sleeping patterns, as well as good hygiene such as frequent hand washing, can help prevent illness. These practices, therefore, also help prevent the overuse or misuse of antibiotics and the emergence of problematic resistant strains.
Antibiotics
Antibiotic misuse is a major cause of the staggering healthcare costs for the treatment of resistant bacterial strains.