Trying not to make patients even sicker
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- May
- 9
With hospital-acquired infections affecting 5 to 10 percent of patients, New York is giving more than $1.2 million to hospitals for projects to tackle the issue. Each year, hospital patients across the country contract an estimated 1.7 infections, resulting in some 99,000 deaths, according to state Health Commissioner Richard Daines.
Prevention efforts will target some of the most dangerous hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA, which is caused by a staph infection; Clostridium difficile, which causes intestinal problems; bloodstream infections; and ventilator-associated pneumonias.
The Healthcare Association of New York State, which representsÂÂ more than 200 hospitalsÂÂ statewide, is receiving $105,023, and the Greater New York Hospital Association is gettingÂÂ $174,860.
Westchester County Healthcare Corp. inÂÂ Valhalla is getting $199,991, to reduce hospital-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care andÂÂ respiratory-care patients. TheÂÂ infections have been found toÂÂ extend the length of stay and increase costs by up to $40,000 per survivor.
Each applicant had to get collaboration of at least five hospitals to be eligible for the funds.
This entry was posted
on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 2:52 pm by Cara Matthews.
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First, they give to you the infection, then they bill you for clearing it up if they can (or if they can’t). Happened in my family. Then you pay an attorney, not to sue them, but to explain to the judge or jury that you went into the hospital healthy, and shouldn’t have to pay them extra for the whole folderol that they caused. Sorry system, this.