Safe Patient Project: Illinois

Illinois surgery centers slip on infection control

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:40:01 -0600

Here is a list of Illinois surgery centers that were cited for infection-control problems. Last year, The Associated Press examined reports in Illinois and found that nearly 76 percent of centers that were inspected were cited for infection-control problems.

New law brings Illinois doctor website back online

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:16:52 -0600

Consumers will be able to see whether a doctor has been disciplined in Illinois or in another state. Malpractice judgments and settlements going back five years will be posted, as will updates as new cases are decided. If a doctor appeals a court judgment, the doctor's profile will note the appeal.

Illinois is poised to reveal staph infections as killers

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:14:20 -0600

Death certificates in IL will say whether the patient died of MRSA or other infections that are resistant to multiple drugs if they contributed to or caused a death.

Illinois Appellate Court Ruling Means Hospitals Must Release Data about Incidents of MRSA Infections

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:15:50 -0600

A recent Illinois Appellate Court opinion, which reversed the decision of a lower court, will make it easier for all hospital patients who acquire methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureas (MRSA) to obtain medical records for the purpose of pursuing legal action.

Medical misdiagnoses can have fatal consequences

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:14:24 -0600

Diagnostic errors, a subset of medical errors, can lead to devastasting harm for patients.

Patients' Right to Know Act passes Assembly

Wed, 18 May 2011 14:16:12 -0600

Law would make criminal convictions, malpractice payments public

Drugs and Medical Device errors

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:51:26 -0600

MRSA cases on rise throughout state

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:11:12 -0600

Cases of MRSA reported by IL hospitals throughout the state are on the rise.

MRSA Trends in Illinois Hospitals: 2002-2007

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:16:51 -0600

In 2002, there were 6,841 cases of MRSA diagnosed by Illinois hospitals. This number has increased steadily each year, with 11,372 cases diagnosed in 2007, a 66.2 percent increase in total cases over the six-year period.

Blue Island Teen Dies from Sepsis After Root Canal

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:47:18 -0600

IL teen dies from sepsis after root canal surgery.

Patients first: Experts look at hospitals that emphasize safety

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:16:28 -0600

The panel: Marshall Allen, Las Vegas Sun health care reporter and author of the “Do No Harm” series; Dr. Timothy McDonald, co-executive director of the Institute for Patient Safety Excellence at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago; Dr. Mitchell Forman, president of the Clark County Medical Society; and Sandra Coletta, CEO of Kent Hospital in Warwick, R.I.

'You can’t kill my mother and get away with it'

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:53:41 -0600

Article by Marshall Allen after attending Consumers Union's Safe Patient Project 2010 summit.

Drug-resistant bacterium raises alarms in Chicago

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:55:06 -0600

Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase bacteria, KPC, has been spreading in Chicago hospitals and nursing homes. These gram-negative bacteria are resistant to antibiotics.

Beware of Scary Superbugs in Your Hospital

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:41:10 -0600

It only takes three things for a hospital superbug to infect a patient. Should you be concerned?

Why Not The Best? Comparative Reports on Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:48:34 -0600

Users of WhyNotTheBest.org can now search for and compare data for nearly 1,000 hospitals on the incidence of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs)—one of the most lethal hospital-acquired complications. The data show wide variation in CLABSI incidence, in spite of strong evidence on how to prevent them. The updated data is made possible through a partnership among The Commonwealth Fund, The Leapfrog Group, and Consumers Union.