The Safe Patient Project is a Consumers Union campaign focused on eliminating medical harm, improving FDA oversight of prescription drugs and promoting disclosure laws that give information to consumers about health care safety and quality.
Pennsylvania
State Disclosure Reports
- Pennsylvania: Who pays (11/05)
- Pennsylvania Cost to Insurers of Hospital-acquired Infections (2006)
- Pennsylvania: MRSA (8/06)
- Pennsylvania: Hospital-specific rates in 2005 (11/06)
- Pennsylvania: C-difficile (5/07)
- PA: Hospital-specific patient infection rates (2005)
News Articles
- Hospital infections still a problem in Pennsylvania Source: The Times-Tribune (Friday February 25, 2011)
Health care-associated infections across the state dropped 12.5 percent from 2008 to 2009.
- Hospital infection tied to readmission Source: phillyBurbs.com (Friday February 25, 2011)
Pennsylvanians who developed an infection during a hospital stay were nearly five times more likely to be readmitted than healthy patients, and the highest readmission rates were among older patients and ones who had surgery, a new report released today says.
- Infections increase chance of hospital re-admission, PHC4 report says Source: Philadelphia Business Journal (Friday February 25, 2011)
Three out of every 10 Pennsylvania patients who acquired a health-care associated infection (HAI) in 2009 were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days for an infection or complication, according to a new report released today by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.
- Infections: A threat to hospitals and patients Source: The Morning Call (Friday February 25, 2011)
Reducing the number of health care-associated infections is not only in patients’ best interest, hospitals’ economic health might also depend on it.
- Pennsylvania shows hospital infections can follow you home Source: PennLive.com (Friday February 25, 2011)
If you’re unlucky enough to catch an infection at the hospital, there’s a good chance the bad luck will follow you home. A new report from a state agency found that 30 percent of people who get an infection during a hospital stay are readmitted within 30 days because of infection or complication.
- Group says health care attire should stay in hospitals Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Monday February 21, 2011)
Many health care workers are not required to remove their scrubs before leaving work. That attire can carry harmful bacteria such as C.diff, a common bacteria that can cause violent diarrhea.
- Editorial: Danger: Hospital care ahead Source: Philadelphia Daily News (Wednesday December 1, 2010)
A study shows that many institutions lack a ‘culture of safety’
- Meet the new super bug: C. diff Source: The Intelligencer (Monday March 29, 2010)
“A new Duke University study shows rates of infection from the bacterium C. diff (Clostridium difficile) are overtaking those associated with MRSA infections in community hospitals. ” C-diff is an antibiotic reisistant intestinal bacteria that can become more virulant if a patient is taking anitbiotics to treat other types infections.
- Navy opens review of care Murtha received in surgery Source: CNN (Wednesday February 17, 2010)
The National Naval Medical Center has opened a review of the surgical care provided to the late Congressman John Murtha after the Pennsylvania Democrat died following surgery, a senior U.S. military official told CNN Wednesday.
- New report compares Pennsylvania hospital infection rates Source: Erie Times-News (Thursday January 14, 2010)
Pennsylvania hospitals reported more than 13,000 preventable infections in the second half of 2008, according to a report published Tuesday by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Research and Reports
- Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority 2009 Annual Report
PA annual report on state activities relating to hospital infections and medical errors.
- Clostridium Difficile Infections in Pennsylvania Nursing Homes
Mandatory reporting of healthcare-acquired infections began in Pennsylvania nursing homes in June 2009 and this report is based on preliminary data from July-September 2009. The Authority is not yet releasing the data by facility.
- March 2010 Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory
In 2008, there were 57,852 readmissions in Pennsylvania, amounting to approximately $2.5 billion in charges. In reported events involving the use of insulin products, 52% of the events led to situations in which a patient may have or actually received the wrong dose or no dose of insulin.
- Neonatal Complications: Recognition and Prompt Treatment of Shoulder Dystocia
Between June 2004 and October 2008, the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority received 316 reports involving shoulder dystocia. Neonatal injuries were identified in 124 (39%) of these reports and included fractures, brachial plexus injuries, and death.
- Quarterly Update on the Preventing Wrong-Site Surgery Project: Improving, But Still Room for Perfection
Wrong site surgery incidents are decreasing, but analysis of anesthesia related errors indicates that “time out” should be done prior to administration of anesthesia, instead of prior to incision.
- PA: Hospital Mortality Rates Decline; Reducing Readmissions Represents Cost and Quality Opportunities
A report shows that PA hospitals had a significant decrease mortality rates associated with hospital readmissions compared to the previous year. Readmissions often are due to complications or infections – in this case, the cause of 22,094 of PA readmissions, which accounted for almost $1.1 billion in charges and 157,000 hospital days. The report found that readmissions for complication or infection comprise 38.2% of all readmissions in PA.
- Beyond the Count: Preventing the Retention of Foreign Objects
Analysis on how to prevent “retained foreign objects” or “RFOs” from the PA Patient Safety Authority.
- PA requirements for reporting hospital-acquired infections and information about their prevention
Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority
- Pennsylvania releases new information about heart surgery and hospital infections
Pennsylvania report identifies key findings about hospital-acquired infections in heart surgery patients.
- Pennsylvania’s hospital acquired infection battle
An in-depth look at how Pennsylvania is tackling hospital-acquired infections and getting significant results: saving lives, reducing illness, and lowering health care costs.