NYC public hospitals disclose infection, mortality rates

New York City's 11 public hospitals will soon begin publicizing infection and death rates, spurred partly by the growing national concern about hospital-acquired conditions. In so doing, they're engaging in something of a warm-up for the future, as the state health department will begun to publish hospital report cards in 2009.

Hospitals within the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, which treat 1.3 million a year, will post safety and performance information to the corporation's website, www.nyc.gov/hhc [1]. Data posted on the site will include overall death rates, death rates after heart attacks, preventable bloodstream infections and pneumonia rates. While some of the information is already being reported to the state and federal government, it's been tough for consumers to find.

To learn more about the disclosures:
- read this article [2] from The New York Times

Related Articles:
Massachusetts seeks hospital infection disclosure. Report [2]
PA among first to report hospital-specific infection rates. Report [3]
Texas makes hospital infection rates public. Report [4]