Care For PA

On July 20, Governor Rendell signed a law that set into motion a new phase in reducing the incidence of health care-associated infections across Pennsylvania. Known as "Act 52 of 2007," the plan involves health care facilities, state agencies, and the community in its efforts.

The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, a nonprofit organization that helps to support the work of the hospitals across the state, supports the plan and its comprehensive approach to tackling health care-associated infections. "Health care-associated infections are an important public health issue," says Carolyn F. Scanlan, president and CEO of the association. "And with any public health issue, a comprehensive, community approach provides the best opportunity for success. This plan brings together key health care groups and state agencies, and combines sound data collection with public health information."

The plan has several key components, including requiring hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and nursing homes to do more to prevent infections picked up by patients, including requiring health care facilities to strengthen their infection-control plans, have infection-monitoring systems in place, and report infections to the state. Hospitals will be using the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting system, which is an enhancement of current hospital reporting in Pennsylvania. In addition, nursing home patients admitted to hospitals must be checked to see if they already have a drug-resistant infection when they arrive.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health also will play a key role. It is required to establish a public awareness campaign to inform the public about the prevention and treatment of health care-associated infections, its causes and symptoms, and the proper use of antibiotics. The department also will study the feasibility of establishing special monitoring programs for people at high risk of acquiring such infections, such as those in correctional facilities. In addition, the health department will oversee compliance with this and other health care facility regulations.

Pennsylvania's Patient Safety Authority will be able to use the information in the CDC's national database to identify statewide trends and conduct training programs for health care providers about the prevention and control of health care-associated infections. Pennsylvania's Health Care Cost Containment Council will be able to use the information in the database to produce public reports on health care-associated infections in Pennsylvania that can be used to help purchasers and consumers in decision-making. In addition, Pennsylvania's Department of Health will be able to work with the Patient Safety Authority and the Health Care Cost Containment Council to measure the progress of health care facilities in reducing infections that occur in health care facilities in the Commonwealth.

"This plan builds on the important work already underway in Pennsylvania hospitals in controlling infections and reducing medical errors," says Carolyn F. Scanlan, president and CEO of the association. "By involving nursing homes and ambulatory surgery centers, as well as several state agencies, the bill takes a broader approach in reducing the number of Pennsylvanians with health-care associated infections."

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