Hospital Acquired Infections

Dan Frith

Contributor

0 CommentsPrint ArticleSubscribe

The news is full of reports of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) - a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection found in schools, nursing homes, and hospitals. The same reports stress better personal hygiene including hand-washing, gloves and masks where appropriate. But what if you are about to enter a hospital for an elective operation - don't you want to know how the hospital you have chosen stacks up with other available hospitals in preventing hospital acquired infections?

Unfortunately, only 4 states require their hospitals to post information on infections - Pennsylvania, Vermont, Missouri, and Florida. However, there is good news. Last week, nearly two dozen federal lawmakers, headed by Pennsylvania Representative Tim Murphy, proposed legislation requiring nationwide public reporting.

For now, unless you live in one of the more enlightened states listed above, your only source of information on your hospital's infection rate is to visit Medicare's Hospital Compare site. This site will tell you how well your hospital does in comparison to state and national averages.

It also would not hurt to write your congressman and tell them to vote for Representative Murphy's legislation!

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Medical Malpractice and Negligent Care.