Healthcare In Crisis: NH Hospital-Acquired Infection Rates to Remain Secret

Monday, July 9, 2007

NH Hospital-Acquired Infection Rates to Remain Secret

New state law requires reporting of hospital-acquired infections but the legislature fails to allocate the required $138,000 in startup costs.

Supporters of the mandate say the public deserves to know about the infections, which are estimated to kill 99,000 people each year nationwide.

The law requires hospitals to report three serious infections: central line related blood infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia and surgical wound infections.

"The Senate (Ways and Means Committee) took the money out, pressured by the hospitals who don't want to divulge all their dirty laundry to the public, and I'm very upset," Batula said. "It bothers me that we have to start the process again." source: The Boston Globe

source: BBC News

States with laws requiring hospital-acquired infection reporting (Consumers Union)

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Statistics Collection

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About 75,000 patients with hospital-related infections died in 2011.
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