Report Publishes Hospital Infection Rates

Pennsylvania became the first state to publicly report the number of patients who contracted an infection while in one of its 168 hospitals last year. A recent report issued by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) indicates that deadly hospital infections are on the rise.

The topic of hospital infections has been controversial because the infections are usually transmitted by workers who do not wash their hands or by contaminated medical equipment. Quality control experts expect the report will be used by hospitals to improve infection control efforts, which range from requiring consistent hand washing to taking special steps to prevent patients on ventilators from getting pneumonia.

Listed below are some area hospitals’ infection rates
(per 1,000 patients):

· Butler Memorial 39.4
· Jefferson Regional 28.7
· Allegheny General - 19.9
· Mercy Hospital - 17.4
· St. Clair Memorial - 17.3
· UPMC Presby-Shadyside - 16.2
· Beaver Medical - 10.1
· West Penn Hospital - 9.4
· Westmoreland Regional - 9
· UPMC Passavant - 5.5

Ask for a hospital's infection rates before you decide where you want your next surgical procedure.