Rate Of Hospital-Acquired Infections Increases In New York State, Report Finds

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 29 May 2008 - 12:00 PDT

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The rate of hospital-acquired infections has increased in New York state, possibly due to the ability to track a larger number of infections rather than an actual increase in infections, according to the author of a recent study, the AP/Albany Times Union reports. The 2008 New York State Hospital Report Card, created by the Niagara Health Quality Coalition, rates the state's 243 acute care hospitals on 31 common procedures, treatments, ailments and in some cases, likelihood of death, using a three-star scale. The ratings are based on federal quality measures for hospitals.

The report found that about 3,200 of 1.45 million hospitalizations resulted in a hospital-acquired infection in the state, an increase from about 2,900 out of 1.48 million hospitalizations a year earlier. Coalition President Bruce Boissonnault said that the number represents "a small fraction of the infections. For example, many people do not show symptoms of an infection until they're discharged, and those patients would not be in that sample (used in the study)." This is the first year a health trend has worsened since the coalition began conducting the study six years ago, the AP/Times Union reports.

The report also found that the overall likelihood of dying from a hospital procedure dropped from 8.5% for eight inpatient procedures in 2002 to 7.4% in 2006. State Health Department spokesperson Jeffrey Hammond said, "While it may be possible that infection rates are getting worse, it may also be true that hospitals are more vigilant at reporting infections, and that's good news for patients" (Bauman, AP/Albany Times Union, 5/25).

The 2008 New York State Hospital Report Card is available online.

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