Overview

Although most of us expect hospital visits to improve our health, many are finding that contrary to this popular expectation, visits to the hospital can result in hospital- acquired infections that are costly both in lives lost and financially.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2 million people annually contract an infection during their treatment at hospitals and 90,000 die as a result of the infection. Hospital-acquired infections kill as many people as AIDS, breast cancer, and auto accidents combined, according to Betsy McCaughey, the former Lieutenant Governor of New York.

These infections cost the nation $5 billion in excess healthcare costs. A study published by the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), found that they lengthen a patient's stay in the hospital by 9.58 days, costing an additional $36, 695.

Yet, hospitals are not held accountable for their infection track record. Until recently, the CDC operated the only reporting system for hospital-acquired infections. However, reporting was voluntary and only 10% of the nation's hospitals participated.

As health care costs skyrocket and healthcare practices are scrutinized, more states are requiring some form of disclosure on hospital infection rates. Colorado is part of this trend, as one of fourteen states considering legislation to reduce hospital infection rates.

CoPIRG, with a coalition of health care advocates, supported HB 1045 to require hospitals throughout Colorado to report to the state health department their rate of infection for the three most common hospital- acquired infections. These infections include "central line" infections and those acquired during heart or orthopedic surgery.

By making this information accessible to the public, this bill will protect consumers from unnecessary illnesses and the high costs associated with these illnesses. Rep. Bob McCluskey, the sponsor of the bill, says that the state will save over $3 million a year on what it spends on Medicaid dollars alone.