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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
99 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ESTABLISH REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL FACILITIES Regarding hospital-acquired infections.
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year almost two million patients are infected while hospitalized and ninety-eight thousand of those patients die, which is more than the number of deaths caused by auto accidents and homicides combined; and
WHEREAS, the costs of hospital-acquired infections are estimated to add $27,500,000,000 to hospital expenses each year; and
WHEREAS, hospitals throughout the United States have demonstrated that using evidence-based prevention practices can dramatically reduce central line-related blood stream infection, surgical-site infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and catheter-related urinary tract infections; and
WHEREAS, public reporting of infection rates in hospitals and health care facilities would also reduce the costs of treating preventable infections in health care facilities; and
WHEREAS, data transparency will educate health care consumers and allow them to choose the facilities that ensure greater safeguards against hospital-acquired infections, which will, in turn, encourage all hospitals and health care facilities to take steps to reduce their infection rates; and
WHEREAS, as of 2008, approximately twenty-six states required the reporting of hospital-acquired infection rates; and
WHEREAS, public reporting of hospital-acquired infection rates in Hawaii may motivate hospitals to improve their infection-prevention practices and allow meaningful evaluation of their infection control programs; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Health is requested to establish reporting requirements for hospitals, medical facilities, and certain medical professionals regarding hospital-acquired infections; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to report annually no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011, and at the same time in subsequent annual reports to the Legislature and the Governor regarding hospital-acquired infections and to post the reports on the Department's website to make the information available to the public; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Health; Hospital-Acquired Infections