New York State published the 2010 Hospital Acquired
Infection Rate report this week. In 2005, New York became one of the first
states to mandate reporting of HAIs to the state’s public health department. In 2009 it became the first state to mandate
reporting of inpatient adult and pediatric laboratory-confirmed C. difficile cases using the new NHSN
reporting protocol. Public reporting of
HAIs began in 2005 and the first HAI report was published in 2007. Over 170 hospitals in New York State reported
their HAI rates. The 2010 report found
that since 2007, the rate of CLABSIs and SSIs has fallen 37% and 15%
respectively, saving more than $15 million because of shorter hospital stays
and preventing the need for additional treatment. The decline in HAI rates can be attributed to
better surveillance methods and higher adoption of best infection prevention
practices at hospitals.
