Patient Safety in Hospitals
As lawyers for people who have been injured through the negligence of others, we hear very often from people who got infections during a stay at a hospital. These infections can be very dangerous, especially for the very young, the very old, and people with immunity problems.
Find Out About Your Hospital's Infection Control
Consumer Reports has reported on new rules to make it easier for patients to identify which hospitals are better at preventing infections. Their article is at their health and safety blog. Consumer Reports had earlier reported on an investigation that revealed that nearly all these infections are preventable, including central IV line infections, which account for about 30% of the 99,000 annual deaths from hospital-acquired infections. Under the new rules, hospitals will have to report their infection rates. Here's a link to the site, Hospital Compare, that has the reports on infections. The report shows one hospital in Georgia that reported no central line infections. It would be great if all the hospitals in Macon and Middle Georgia could achieve this same result.
Patients Need to Know
Most of these infections, if not all of them, can be prevented with the use of a simple checklist, called the Pronovost checklist, found here. This checklist focuses on simple measures, like hand-washing and use of disinfectants, to prevent infections. I would urge everyone to make sure that their caregivers are following these simple steps so they can protect themselves and their loved ones from these infections in hospitals. Please watch the video above for information on preventing infections.
An excellent and balanced look at these reform proposals has come from an unlikely source - a physician. In a very well documented Salon article, 
