Patient deaths due to infection
Over 100,000 deaths a year occur because patients acquire an infection while hospitalized. In 2005, CTCPS introduced a bill that would have required immediate hospital specific reporting. In 2006 a greatly weakened bill became law and in 2011, finally, CT has its first public report on Central Line Infections in the ICU. HAIs (Healthcare acquired infections) are a growing concern because of their financial and human costs.
The following links are important for complete information.
Consumers Union: Stop Hospital Acquire Infection Campaign
The Pennsylvania Cost Containment Council shows a great example of what could be.
Currently, we are participating in the statewide effort to address the pervasive problems of infection.
The CT Department of Public Health has comprehensive information on what you can do to help your chances of NOT getting an infection.
If you have had an infection, let us know about it. Your voice can be added to our demand that all providers stop wringing their hands about this serious problem, and start washing their hands instead.
Newsletter
Did you miss an issue of our online newsletter? You can access past newsletter issues or you can receive future newsletters via email by joining our mailing list.
Three Vaccines for Fall: What You Need to Know
According to the NY Times, here’s who should get the flu, Covid and R.S.V. vaccines, and when. By Ap…
Continue Reading »
How the Inflation Reduction Act Reduces Health Care Costs
CAP American Progress ARTICLE AUG 12, 2022 Nicole Rapfogel & Emily Gee The Inflation Reduction …
Continue Reading »
Hospital Visitation Restrictions Are Hurting Patients and Nurses — New protocols and COVID mitigation techniques can enable safe visitation
Medpage Today | by Karen Cox, PhD, RN, and Tejal K. Gandhi, MD, MPH September 2, 2021 As COVID…
Continue Reading »
Becoming a More Empowered Patient
First, we have chosen to share a video by Consumer Health Choices: Talking With Your Doctor. In it you will see how preparing for you appointment can make a difference.
We have chosen a second video by the National Patient Safety Foundation: AskMe3, to share with you. Here, you learn that there are three important questions to ask your doctor whenever you see him or her.
Finally, we are sharing a series of videos by Dartmouth-Hitchcock:
Self-Advocacy: The Empowered Patient,
Self-Advocacy: Preparing for your Visit,
Self-Advocacy: Why It's Important To Share and
Self-Advocacy: Doing Research.
For the complete story, please click here
5 Things to Know
- What you need to know in the Hospital
- 15 Steps You Can Take To Reduce Your Risk of a Hospital Infection
- Selecting Doctors & Hospitals
- What to do to avoid medication error
- AHRQ Director Helps Consumers Navigate the Health Care System in a New Advice Column on the Web
You've Suffered Medical Harm - Now What Do You Do?
According to a recent article published by ProPublica titled: So You’ve Become a Patient Safety Statistic – Now What? by Marshall Allen there are six things to do….
- Get a copy of medical records.
- Make sure the incident is reported internally.
- If the patient has died, order a forensic autopsy.
- Consider calling an attorney.
- Meet with the doctor and hospital officials.
- Report the incident to regulators, who can investigate.
For greater detail and more important information, please read the full article.
Follow us on: