This article is proof positive that there is much validity in and need for the work of groups like RID, and Consumers Union. It also presents the problem of failure of hospitals to comply with the new laws, and states of enforcing them – a problem that is faced by the other states who have passed infection rate disclosure laws.
LRMC’s Infection Rate Falls Sharply
LAKELAND — Infections after open-heart surgery at Lakeland Regional Medical Center dropped sharply in the first half of fiscal year 2004-2005 after a two-year period in which the rate doubled.[…]
Traditionally, the hospital, like others in Florida, hasn’t toldpatients or the public those rates. And until Florida lawmakers votedlast year to have the state Agency for Health Care Administrationrelease that information, there’s been no federal or state lawrequiring them to do so.
Implementation of the state law torequire hospitals to release more information about infection rates hasbeen slowed by complaints from the powerful hospital industry.
“Whatseems to be happening in Florida is there’s not movement towarddeciding what to collect,” said Lisa McGiffert, senior policy analystfor Consumers Union.
“They need to move faster,” she said.”Florida was one of the first states to adopt this law, but they’refalling behind the others.”
4 responses so far ↓
Sandra // Jun 26, 2007 at 6:24 pm
One interesting piece of information I have noted while reading the stories on websites like this one, is that doctors either don’t know what the infections are, don’t do a culture to determine what they are, or send the patient home with antibiotics and a ‘you have an infection’ as the final word.
The type and severity of the infection should be told to the patient. How is that patient supposed to keep others from getting it if they don’t even know that is what it is. Also, when a patient asks for a culture of a suspicious wound, it should be done.
Everyone seems to be worried about a pandemic of the bird flu. I think this problem is just as dangerous, especially now that we are seeing it outside of the hospital environment.
Wake up – you doctors will run a test on anything if there is insurance to pay for it, so how about preventing someone from getting sick by making sure that these ‘bites’ are tested.
Proletariatcsp // Oct 24, 2007 at 10:43 pm
For who awoke the sleeping giant,
was but a billionth the size of a particle of dust.
Now fleeing from the skin
of those around us we’ve come to love.
Scrubbing the truth from our hands
not before, only after.
Until we’ve colonized an infectious revolt
that stabs at the stigmata, scaring forever.
How many must be lay aside today
thus 99,000 and counting,
before the rush of methicillin’s surmise
has bequeathed the human, in this life?
While a breath still lingers
from beyond a curtain, one hour to goodbye.
A wife struggles to hold on,
her husband defecting from his torment inside.
We cower where our children have expired
the hours at the nurses’ station.
Watching others board for the final call,
on the last great journey of medicinal time.
Today is the sobering despondent
of a sad nursery rhyme. In the shadow of a tyrant
our hearts bleed into waters of red tide,
before a corrupt river of government
overflowing with swine.
Fraught with Callous Deliberate Constatation,
we find our rebuke. In the journal of man,
it was long ago said that the end
will finally come.
Lora England // Nov 12, 2007 at 8:01 pm
I was not going to post this time but had to coment on the poem. It kept me reading until the end which hard to do. Great job who ever you are . if only the rest of the world saw as much.
Leandro Bowdle // Oct 29, 2010 at 7:16 am
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