The numbers are shocking: 650,000 patients develop an infection in the hospital and 75,000 die, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control.
"Germs concentrate in hospitals and they can be easily spread there. C. difficile and MRSA are two dangerous bacterial infections and are very difficult to treat," Consumer Reports Chief Health Editor Ellen Kunes said.
Kellie Pearson knows firsthand how serious Clostridium difficile can be.
"When I got home, one of the surgical nurses that I talked to said, 'You know, we had other people and a couple of them died. We were concerned you were going to,'" she said.
Which hospital you go to can make a difference. Consumer Reports' new hospital ratings show some hospitals do a much better job of preventing some types of infections than others.
"We've been looking at this data since 2009, and we see how some hospitals are able to prevent infections, so we really know it's possible," according to Consumer Reports' Doris Peter.
Cleanliness is key, but patients can also take steps to keep themselves safe.
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"Ask everyone who enters the room to wash their hands with soap and water. Hand sanitizer may not be enough to destroy some dangerous bacteria," Kunes said.
Ask if you can postpone surgery if you have any type of infection. A weakened immune system increases your chance of a new infection.
IVs and catheters can also lead to infections, so ask daily if they are still needed.
And try to have a friend or family member to be your advocate especially at night and on weekends.
