More states ask hospitals to report infection rates

Lawmakers in 14 states are looking to enact legislation that would require public reporting of patient infections. Sixteen states already have adopted such laws. The move was prompted by CDC data revealing that one in 20 patients a year (almost two million) develop various kinds of infections while being treated in the hospital. Of those, approximately 90,000 patients die every year. So far this year, hospital infection reporting bills are being considered in Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia. Hospital infection reporting bills are expected to be introduced soon in Massachusetts and North Carolina. Hospital infection reporting requirements have been adopted in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia. California and Rhode Island require public reporting on infection information, but not rates. Florida, Missouri, and Pennsylvania have produced public reports on their state hospitals' infection rates.

To see more Hot off the Press news articles, click here.

To go to the Drug Topics homepage, click here.