Missourians concerned they might get sicker after they go to the hospital have a new place to learn about hospital infection rates. The state health department has issued its first report on hospital infections. This one focuses on central line-associated bloodstream infections. Later reports will be about specific surgical site infections, and with ventilator-associated pneumonias. The state health department’s Eddie Hedrick says the report identifies specific Missouri hospitals with problems. He says hospitals do a “pretty good” job, but the department also knows a lot of hospitals do have patients that develop infections. He says the data will show hospitals that need to do better. He says charts use the CONSUMER REPORTS system of ratings—circles that are empty, half-filled, or black, to show the level of infection records at each hospital. The reports are avialble on the state health department website: dhss.mo.gov, forward slash, H-A-I. The legislature passed the law requiring the reports in 2004. The next one, covering surgical site infections for three procedures, will be released in late February.
