The high cost of false positive blood cultures
The false positive blood culture costs to hospitals are high. Likewise, the unnecessary treatment of a suspected bloodstream infection poses serious clinical risk for patients.
The financial cost of false positive blood cultures
- Healthcare insurers no longer reimburse hospital-acquired infections.
- The cost of a false-positive blood culture is estimated at ~$4,000-$10,000.1,2,3,4
- With 1/3 of all positive blood culture results being inaccurate, the average hospital spends more than $1 million dollars on unnecessary treatment of non-existent bloodstream infections.
- Each year, U.S. hospitals waste several billion dollars related to more than one million false-positive results.
- Non-compliance with CMS rule 42 C.F.R § 482.42 for the avoidance of antibiotic misuse will results in reimbursement penalties.
The clinical cost of false positive blood cultures
- In-hospital mortality increases for patients with false positive blood cultures.2
- Extended hospital stays increase the risk of hospital-acquired infections and adverse events.2
- Unnecessary antibiotics increases the risk of allergic reactions and drug interactions.
- The overuse of antibiotics lessens the efficacy of future treatment, leaving patients vulnerable to multidrug-resistant superbugs.
- Delays in proper diagnosis and treatment.
- The discomfort, inconvenience, and anxiety caused by unnecessary treatment lowers patient satisfaction scores.
