Thursday, December 28, 2006
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Aims to Protect Patients from Healthcare-Associated Infections
JEFFERSON CITY–Governor Matt Blunt today announced that Missourians will have access to comprehensive information about healthcare-associated infections, the ailments that may affect hospital patients following some medical treatments. The information is available on the Department of Health and Senior Services’ Internet site, at www.dhss.mo.gov/HAI.
“For the first time ever Missourians will have clear, useful information about these deadly infections,” Blunt said. “The Department of Health and Senior Services and experts around the state have worked to not just compile the information but also to make it a useful tool to help protect patients and better prepare Missourians to make sound healthcare decisions.”
A 2004 state law requires hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers to provide information about healthcare associated infections to the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). Patients can get the infections after having medical or surgical treatments, when needles and tubes are inserted through a person’s skin. The infections can aggravate a patient’s illness and lengthen their stay in the hospital. The law requires facilities to report central line-associated bloodstream infections, specific surgical site infections and ventilator-associated pneumonias and calls for DHSS to make this information available to the public.
“This new law is already having its intended effect across the state,” said State Representative Rob Schaaf, M.D. of St. Joseph, who sponsored the legislation. “Awareness posters and hand sanitizer dispensers are popping up on hospital walls and healthcare workers are taking the spread of infection more seriously. I don't doubt that lives have already been saved.”
DHSS today launched a new Internet site where consumers can access the infection information. While some data is not yet available, the new site does provide information on central line-associated bloodstream infections. As the site is developed and more data collected, information about more infections will be added. As the starting point for the new Internet site the types of infections selected for reporting were those that could be accurately tracked so that the information is scientifically valid, making it more meaningful and useful for the public. This is a unique feature of Missouri’s healthcare associated infections reporting with no other state reporting its infection data in this way.
In developing the healthcare associated infections information, DHSS used procedures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to adjust the infection rates so consumers can get an even picture among facilities.
For more information contact Nanci Gonder at (573) 751-6062.
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