Despite some improvements, infection rates remain higher than national rates
Although New Jersey hospitals have reduced rates of infections in some instances, a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that much work still needs to be done. According to NJ Advance Media, the report found that some infection rates at many acute-care hospitals in the state remain well above the national average. The report follows recent efforts by the federal government to lower infection rates and other
preventable injuries at hospitals, which have been blamed for the deaths of tens of thousands of patients every year.
Infections higher than average
The CDC report found that 20 percent of hospitals analyzed in New Jersey had rates of MRSA infections that were much worse than the baseline set by federal regulators. MRSA is a dangerous bacterial infection that is resistant to antibiotics and usually spread by medical staff not washing their hands.
The report, which analyzed data at the state’s hospitals between 2012 and 2013, also saw an increase in urinary catheter infections and infections associated with colon surgery. Also, 33 percent of the state’s hospitals had high rates of a bacterial infection related to antibiotics. Some infections did decline or remain steady, such as infections associated with a tube inserted into a vein, which was 39 percent lower than the national baseline.
Fines for many hospitals
Hospital infections have been a major focus for federal regulators in recent months. Late last year, Medicare fined more than a third of assessed hospitals in the state for high rates of infections, according to MyCentralJersey.com. New Jersey came out of the assessments as one of only ten states to have more than a third of its hospitals fined.
That assessment looked at both infection rates and other preventable patient injuries at hundreds of hospitals across the U.S. The worst-performing hospitals saw one percent of their Medicare funding cut, which in many cases was in addition to cuts instituted earlier last year against hospitals with high rates of patient readmission. Despite the crackdown, some critics worry that the fines, instead of lowering infection rates, could lead to some hospitals under reporting them. Both the CDC report and Medicare fines were based on hospitals voluntarily submitting information about their own infection rates, which could end up giving hospitals a financial incentive to under report some infections.
Medical malpractice
Improper or negligent medical care is a serious problem that takes the lives of thousands of patients every year. Countless more patients are injured because of the negligence of a doctor or other medical professional.
Anybody injured as a result of alleged medical malpractice should contact a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. An experienced attorney can assist victims of alleged malpractice and may be able to help them recover whatever compensation they are entitled to for their injuries.
