The Wall Street Journal earlier this week featured an article about hospital-acquired infections and steps that are being taken to prevent them. Among the interventions listed is public reporting of infections, which became law in Massachusetts in 2008 under Chapter 305. The first listing of infections by hospital will be issued early in 2010. Other interventions mentioned include the use of checklists and screening patients for MRSA. HCFA and the Consumer Health Quality Council are advocating for legislation this session to require the use of checklists and to require screening high-risk patients for MRSA. Learn more on the HCFA website. Approximately 2 million patients are infected each year, with 100,000 dying as a result. The steps described in this article can go a long way toward reducing those numberes.
Deborah W. Wachenheim
Health Quality Manager
