Statement By HANYS' President Daniel Sisto Regarding The State Department Of Health Hospital-Acquired Infection Report

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 01 Jul 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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"Patients, policymakers, and practitioners all agree that reliable, accurate, and consistent quality measures are essential elements in improving health care services. This report is a clear indication that the efforts hospitals continue to make to prevent and control infections are having a positive impact on patient care. Hospitals are actively developing and sharing infection control techniques and best practices, and have engrained in their organizations a zero tolerance policy for preventable patient harm.

"Since 2007, positive strides have been made in regard to colon surgical site infections, coronary artery bypass graft infections, and hip replacement surgical site infections. This is a testament to hospital infection control and prevention programs that are an integral component of ongoing quality improvement efforts.

"The report also shows that we must continue to do better. For hospital administrators and the front line staff who treat patients every day, one incident is too many. So we must continue to learn from our mistakes, share with each other what we have learned from those mistakes, and continue to advance our sacrosanct obligation to keep our patients safe."

The Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) is the only statewide hospital and continuing care association in New York State, representing more than 550 non-profit and public hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, and other health care organizations.

The full Department of Health report is available online here.

Source
HANYS