Hospital Infections/ Superbugs

0
Rate this post

safepatientproject.org-topic-hospital_acquired_infectionsHospital acquired infections are a leading cause of death in the U.S. Consumers Union supports public disclosure of infection rates so that you can choose the safest hospital and hospitals will have an incentive to improve. We are currently working on antibiotic resistant superbugs and call for states to report cases to the CDC and hospitals report outbreaks to the public.

Consumers Union Documents

  • Consumers Union Petitions California to Protect Patients From Hospital Infections
    Source: Consumers Union (Monday January 23, 2017)
    A new analysis by Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization division of Consumer Reports, found that California is failing to hold hospitals accountable for improving care when they report high patient infection rates.
  • CDPH data indicating California acute care hospitals without state licensure inspections for the more than five-year period between January 1, 2011 and June 18, 2016.
    Source: Consumers Union (Monday January 23, 2017)
    CDPH data indicating California acute care hospitals without state licensure inspections for the more than five-year period between January 1, 2011 and June 18, 2016.
  • Consumers Union Safe Patient Project Analysis CDPH Data 2013 – 2015 includes all hospitals with significantly high infection rates in each infection category, arranged by county
    Source: Consumers Union (Monday January 23, 2017)
    Consumers Union Safe Patient Project Analysis CDPH Data 2013 – 2015 includes all hospitals with significantly high infection rates in each infection category, arranged by county
  • Administrative Petition from Consumers Union Safe Patient Project and Activist Network Calling on the California Department of Public Health to Require Hospitals to Take Actions to Reduce Hospital-Associated Infections through More Rigorous Oversight.
    Source: Consumers Union (Monday January 23, 2017)
    Administrative Petition from Consumers Union Safe Patient Project and Activist Network Calling on the California Department of Public Health to Require Hospitals to Take Actions to Reduce Hospital-Associated Infections through More Rigorous Oversight.
  • Response to Consumer Reports’ questions from Charlotte Hungerford Hospital
    Source: Consumer Reports (Monday December 7, 2015)
    The Low-Down Dozen: Hospital responses to CR (Charlotte Hungerford Hospital – Torrington, CT)

Consumers Union News Releases

  • Consumers Union Statement on CDC C. difficile Study
    Posted 06/17/15 at 10:49 am
    Consumers Union Statement on CDC C. difficile Study For Release: Wednesday, February 25, 2015 5pm Contact: Lisa McGiffert, [email protected] or 512-477-4431, ext 7509 or Suzanne Henry, [email protected] or 512-477-4431 ext 7511 CDC Study highlights the dangers of C. difficile infections A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides important information about C. difficile, the Continue Reading
  • CDC Study highlights the dangers of C. difficile infections
    Posted 02/25/15 at 5:26 pm
    Safe Patient Project is available for interviews on the subject also collect stories from patients who have experiences with C. difficile infections.
  • Consumers Union News Release on CDC National Report on 2013 Hospital-Acquired Infections
    Posted 01/14/15 at 9:43 am
    Atlanta, GA – A national report issued today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a continued decline in most of the types of hospital-acquired infections that are publicly reported. However, the 2013 data reveals that there is still much work to be done to reach the long-term goal of eliminating hospital-acquired infections, as set out by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). And, nationally, hospitals have failed to meet the 5-year goals set by HHS.
  • Patient Safety Advocates Urge the Creation of a National Patient Safety Board to Fight Medical Errors
    Posted 07/15/14 at 8:53 am
    Consumers Union’s Safe Patient Project to Highlight Need in Senate Testimony
  • Consumers Union To Hold “Ending Medical Harm” Conference at Columbia University On November 6th
    Posted 10/29/13 at 11:59 am
    CONSUMERS UNION NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 Contact: Michael McCauley, [email protected] or 415-902-9537 (cell) or Ross Moonie, [email protected] or 917-690-5713 or Joe Duraes, [email protected] or 914-293-0100 Consumers Union To Hold “Ending Medical Harm” Conference at Columbia University On November 6 Conference To Focus on Tackling The 3rd Leading Cause of Death Continue Reading

Blog Posts

  • The Low-Down Dozen: Consumer Reports flags twelve hospitals for low infection prevention ratings
    Posted 09/28/15 at 12:26 pm
    Today Consumers Union, the policy in action arm of Consumer Reports, is launching “The Low-Down Dozen,” a social media project to call attention to twelve hospitals that earned low scores for avoiding five infections in our latest ratings.
  • Art & Patient Safety Awareness: What does Patient Safety Mean to You?
    Posted 09/11/15 at 2:39 pm
    Guest post by Rex Johnson and Yanling Yu, Founders of Washington Advocates for Patient Safety. On August 15, WAPS organized a booth at the Woodinville Festival and Street Fair in Seattle to raise awareness about medical harm. It was a big success!
  • “Mom, You Have to Trust Me”: Safe Patient Activist Published by JAMA Internal Medicine
    Posted 08/07/15 at 12:46 pm
    Mary Brennan-Taylor, an activist with the Safe Patient Project since the tragic death of her mother in 2009, has just had an article published by JAMA Internal Medicine, wherein she details in a powerful narrative the sequence of events that took her mother’s life.
  • Consumer Reports Rates Over 3,000 Hospitals On Infection Prevention
    Posted 07/30/15 at 3:32 pm
    The first report of its kind, Consumer Reports has utilized CDC data on C-diff and MRSA infections to develop Ratings for more than 3,000 hospitals across the country.
  • Consumer Reports Launches Antibiotic Resistance Investigation
    Posted 06/25/15 at 11:50 am
    Consumer Reports releases a new report on antibiotic-resistant superbug infections, the first in a three-part series on America’s antibiotic crisis.

News Articles

  • Outbreaks Protecting Americans from Infectious Diseases
    Source: Robert Woods Johnson foundation (RWJF) and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) (Thursday December 17, 2015)
    A new report released today found that more than half (28) of states score a five or lower out of 10 key indicators related to preventing, detecting, diagnosing and responding to outbreaks.
  • Six local hospitals fined for preventable infections (San Diego)
    Source: The San Diego Union Tribune (Saturday December 26, 2015)
    The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services penalizes under-performing hospitals. In the case of the acquired-conditions program that includes infections, it docks Medicare reimbursements by 1 percent for hospitals whose rankings are in the worst 25 percent nationally.
  • Deadly and hidden mistakes: Hospital error reports often elude the public
    Source: Orange County Register (Tuesday December 1, 2015)
    “Inspectors don’t send out a news release and say, ‘We just inspected this hospital and this is what we found.’ In a perfect world, that would happen. They work for us. We depend on them,” Consumers Union’s McGiffert said.
  • CDC Recommends All Nursing Homes Implement Core Elements to Improve Antibiotic Use
    Source: CDC Newsroom (Tuesday September 15, 2015)
    The Core Elements provide practical ways for nursing homes to initiate or expand antibiotic stewardship activities.
  • Slick congressional PR campaign relentlessly plugs 21st Century Cures Act
    Source: Health News Review (Thursday September 10, 2015)
    Trudy Lieberman writes, “Phrases like the Act has “the potential of being one of the most transformational pieces of legislation that has come along since the National Cancer Act of 1971” and it “seeks to strengthen and modernize our health care system to help generate more cures” don’t come with an explanation of the downsides that might harm patients — like allowing medical devices on the market based on anecdotal evidence instead of clinical trials.”

Research and Reports

  • Health Watch USA Newsletter (mid-August 2015)
    Source: Health Watch USA (Saturday August 15, 2015)
    Patient safety news presented by KY-based Health Watch USA.
  • Health Watch USA Newsletter (August 2015)
    Source: Health Watch USA (Saturday August 1, 2015)
    Patient safety news presented by KY-based Health Watch USA.
  • Health Watch USA Newsletter (July 2015)
    Source: Health Watch USA (Friday July 10, 2015)
    Patient safety news presented by KY-based Health Watch USA.
  • Health Watch USA: Testimony on Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms and Hospital Acquired Conditions
    Source: Health Watch USA (Wednesday November 19, 2014)
    Health Watch USA presentation before the KY House Health and Welfare Committee on dangerous multi-drug resistant bacteria (MDROs) and the need for stricter standards when treading all MDROs.
  • Health Watch USA Newsletter (October 2014)
    Source: Health Watch USA (Thursday October 2, 2014)
    The latest news from KY-based Health Watch USA.