Infection Control Measure Passed in PA
Legislation was passed by both the House and Senate in Pennsylvania on July 14th to expand measures to address hospital-acquired infections. The bill is expected to quickly obtain the approval of Governor Ed Rendell.
The legislation includes a reporting requirement for both hospitals and long term care facilities to document infections within 24 hours of diagnosis and report such to the State’s Department of Health. Hospitals will also be responsible for reporting incidents to the CDC via the National Health Safety Network. The recently implemented federal reporting system was described on Hospital Buyer following initiation last month.
Hospitals statewide will also be required to implement electronic monitoring systems to support infection control activities. One such system was recently implemented in a number of Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country. The requirements mandated in Pennsylvania will monitor data from pharmacy, radiology, and laboratory data. Smaller hospitals will be eligible for exemptions.
The State Department of Health is working to craft goals to reduce the burden of infections. Outpatient surgery centers, in addition to hospitals and nursing homes will be required to develop infection control programs that incorporate those benchmarks.
Pennsylvania plans to remunerate institutions that are successful in reducing the incidence of infections. A ten percent reduction compared to the previous year will warrant the incentive.
The program is one component of the Governor’s effort to improve healthcare statewide, The Prescription for Pennsylvania. This particular component is intended to reduce overall healthcare costs through improved care and better quality. Decreased hospital stays will reduce costs and confer better outcomes. Another potential benefit is a reduction to health insurance premiums.
Related stories:
- Columbia Study Highlights Nursing Ratios
- VA Infection Program Goes National
- Hopkins Model Improves Patient Safety
- Texas Senate Committee Approves Infection Monitoring
July 18, 2007 Related topics: Facilities, Hygiene & Cleanliness