A trip to the hospital is rarely a stress-free experience. As a patient, you have a greater risk of acquiring an infection (hospital-acquired infections or HAIs) than ever before. Today, HAIs add an estimated $30.5 billion to the nation's annual healthcare bill in hospital costs alone.

Research shows that most hospital infections are spread by hand-to-hand contact. Dangerous bacteria and viruses, including some antibiotic-resistant strains, can live for hours or even days on common hospital equipment such as the rails of stretchers, remote controls and even over-the-bed tray tables which are used for eating, grooming and other personal chores.

A recent study commissioned by EquipSystems, a leading healthcare equipment management company, found dangerous levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, on common, high-traffic equipment. Significant amounts of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE), yeast and fungi were found on the three basic types of hospital equipment tested: stretcher railings, over-the-bed tray tables and clinical recliners. The cleanliness of these surfaces improved significantly after disinfection with proper cleaning agents. But the study is indicative of surfaces that can easily fall through the cracks in a busy hospital environment.

"This news is disheartening, but there are simple things patients can do to lessen their chances of infection," says Samuel Fager, MD, MBA, JD, a national expert on hospital standards and accreditations and EquipSystems' medical director. "It makes sense to be proactive. Being vigilant about hand and surface cleaning are now a patient's duty."

Fager, who also advises hospitals on improving and maintaining infection control and other quality performance standards, claims most hospitals attempt to educate employees on the importance of hand and surface disinfection. But given the medical emergencies that are part of every hospital's routine, staffing issues and strained budgets, "best practices" such as cleaning one's hands or routinely disinfecting non-critical care equipment can be disregarded during extreme circumstances. With this in mind, consumers should know how they can proactively be a part of their health care.

According to Fager, here are four easy steps patients should be prepared to take in a hospital setting:

1)If you don't see a physician, nurse or technician washing their hands or wearing new gloves before they touch you in any way, you should request that they do so. Don't worry about hurting anyone's feelings: If nothing else, stating your wishes will reinforce basic infection control protocols

2)Ask any visitors to wash their hands before coming near you. Minimize their contact with you by not allowing them to use your hospital linens, cups or utensils.

3)Request a canister of antimicrobial alcohol hand wipes. Hospitals routinely stock such items or, if you know about an impending hospital admission, take your own along with you. They are available at many pharmacies. Use these wipes before meals and routinely throughout the day

4)When asking hospital staff for a canister of hand wipes, request a canister of surface wipes as well. Use these wipes routinely on your over-the-bed table or other porous surfaces to kill bacteria, viruses and yeast

EquipSystems assists hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory care centers, dialysis centers and other healthcare facilities improve infection control standards, manage inventory and maintain compliance by disinfecting, cleaning, repairing and tracking hospital equipment. EquipSystems has been servicing healthcare facilities in the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic States and California for the past 20 years. For more information, please visit www.equipsystems.com. The company is based in Brooklyn, NY.