Illinois Hospitals Reporting Fewer Infections
New information to help Illinoisans make
better decisions
about health care providers
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. – Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Damon T. Arnold today announced that overall, hospitals in Illinois reported fewer health care-associated infections in 2010 compared to 2009. As part of its continual update of the Illinois Hospital Report Card and Consumer Guide to Health Care Web site, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) analyzed central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) data and found more than 75 percent of Illinois hospitals had the same number, or fewer, central line-associated bloodstream infection cases in 2010 compared to 2009. In 2009, 383 bloodstream infections were reported in adult intensive care units in Illinois; in 2010, only 282 were reported.
“Although results are only for two years, they indicate a significant step forward in the prevention of infection and protection of Illinois patients,” Dr. Arnold said. “Hospital surveillance of infections and public reporting on the Illinois Hospital Report Card Web site play key roles in prevention efforts. In addition, many Illinois hospitals have incorporated targeted interventions to reduce bloodstream infections.”
An estimated 248,000 bloodstream infections occur in U.S. hospitals each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a large proportion of these infections are associated with the presence of a central vascular catheter. Bloodstream infections are usually serious infections typically causing a prolongation of hospital stay and increased cost and risk of mortality. While it is difficult to reduce infections to zero, following specific protocols can greatly reduce the risk.
The Hospital Report Card and Consumer Guide to Health Care Web site allows consumers to find information about health care-associated infections, nurse staffing, emergency room use and a host of other adult and pediatric quality and safety measures. The volume and charge for specific medical conditions and procedures can be compared across hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. Access to this information can help you make a more informed decision about where to go for health care. Information is updated several times a year.
Updated information on the Web site includes:
- 2010 central line-associated bloodstream infection data for adult, neonatal and pediatric intensive care units
- Nurse staffing data, including employed and contract staffing information
- Breast feeding data
- Volume and charges for inpatient and outpatient conditions, procedures in hospitals, and procedures in ambulatory surgery centers
- Emergency room visit volume and percent of time on bypass
- All Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicators
- Surgical Care Improvement Project measures
- Patient satisfaction
Read more about central line-associated bloodstream infections in Illinois and look up the latest data on the Illinois Hospital Report Card and Consumer Guide to Health Care at http://www.healthcarereportcard.illinois.gov/
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