More State Lawmakers Consider Bills To Require Reporting Of Hospital Infections

Main Category: MRSA / Drug Resistance
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 14 Mar 2007 - 17:00 PDT

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The Washington Times on Friday looked at how the growing number of life-threatening hospital-acquired infections "has prompted medical staffs and state lawmakers to focus on better awareness and take steps to reduce the spread." Sixteen states require some level of reporting on patient infections, although Pennsylvania is one of the only states to require each hospital to report infection rates. Lawmakers in 12 additional states are considering legislation to require infection rate reporting. The Times cites a study released on Thursday by CDC, published in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, that found patients who receive kidney dialysis are 100 times more likely than the general public to contract methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Patient advocates say that patient screening for MRSA "is vital to stopping its spread" in hospitals, the Times reports. Lisa McGiffert, director of Consumer Union's Stop Hospital Infections campaign, said that for "too long" hospitals and dialysis centers "have kept patient infections a dirty secret." She added, "[M]ore states are moving to make infection rates public, so consumers can make smarter health care choices and hospitals have a stronger incentive to improve patient care" (Howard Price, Washington Times, 3/9).

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