How do we calculate the real costs of HCAI?

Healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial resistant represent both a health and economic burden. Given this burden, and the ever increasing threat they pose, increased emphasis has been put on controlling their development and spread.

Mathematical models can be used to quantify the burden of these infections (across different perspectives, e.g. costs to patients, the NHS or the population more widely), rationally choose between intervention options and identify the optimal use of limited resources.

Key parameters drive costs of HCAI, particularly additional length of stay due to infection and attributable mortality, but there are methodological difficulties in their estimation.

Basic cost estimates and evaluations of interventions are lacking and as such there is uncertainty in how to optimally prevent and control HCAI.
Consideration of this uncertainty in decision-making is important as well as time horizon and potential long-term effects.

Models can allow quantification of key sources of uncertainty, helping to direct future research into areas where more information could ensure cost-effective decision-making.