New technologies tend to dominate headlines in modern medicine, but infection-control experts warn that basic, overlooked safeguards are increasingly becoming weak links in patient safety—contributing to the stubbornly high rate of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in the United States.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 31 hospital patients on any given day has at least one HAI. Nearly 1.7 million patients develop these infections annually, and an estimated 100,000 die in hospitals as a result. The financial toll is staggering as well: HAIs cost the U.S. healthcare system between $28 billion and $45 billion each year, according to research funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research.
Now, infection-control specialists say small, inexpensive interventions—such as routine replacement of cubicle curtains —could dramatically reduce those risks.
High-touch surfaces are expected to be cleaned frequently in clinical settings, but cubicle and privacy curtains often escape regular oversight. Infection Control Today recently identified them as among “healthcare’s most touched and least regulated surfaces.”
Most hospitals change curtains only when they appear soiled. But a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control found privacy curtains can be breeding grounds for resistant bacteria such as MRSA. Most hospitals only change curtains when they are visibly soiled, despite evidence they become contaminated over a 21-day period, with 87.5 percent of the curtains testing positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by day 14.
With federal and state guidelines offering little clarity, the publication recommends hospitals replace privacy curtains at least once per quarter and use electronic tracking systems to ensure compliance. Advocates say this low-cost practice could significantly reduce transmission risks in patient rooms.
Another low-cost, high-impact policy is hand hygiene. Despite decades of public health messaging, hand hygiene remains another chronic weak point.
One study cited by researchers found a striking disconnect between how often clinicians believed they cleaned their hands and how often they actually did. Operating-room staff self-reported compliance rates of 73 percent; endoscopy staff reported 95 percent. Observed compliance was just 11 percent.
Another study in the American Journal of Infection Control found that during 28.3 percent of all patient encounters, healthcare workers acquired at least one pathogen on their hands—a striking reminder of how quickly infections spread without consistent hygiene practices.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) also remain among the most common HAIs. These, too, are also highly preventable.
Nurse-driven protocols allowing nurses to remove catheters without physician orders have shown significant benefits. One study found these protocols reduced catheter use from 49.4 percent to 34.84 percent and cut CAUTI incidence by more than half.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality similarly stresses daily evaluation of all devices. Removing catheters and other indwelling devices as soon as they are no longer necessary reduces infection risk and improves patient outcomes, the agency notes.
While hospitals continue investing in advanced diagnostic tools and antimicrobial materials, infection-prevention experts say the fundamentals still matter most. Simple, inexpensive steps—washing hands, replacing contaminated curtains, removing unnecessary devices—have proven track records of reducing infections, saving lives, and lowering costs.
As the U.S. healthcare system continues to grapple with persistent HAIs, experts argue that focusing on these basic safeguards may be one of the most effective—and overlooked—strategies available.