New York City hospital data now publicly accessible

In an effort to improve patient safety, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corp. has begun releasing data on infection and death rates at the Big Apple's hospitals. The decision, driven in part by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, provides residents with information on the overall death rate, the rate of deaths after heart attacks, preventable bloodstream infections, and pneumonia cases at the city's 11 hospitals. The safety and performance information is posted on the corporation's Web site,