Following on from news that PA lawmakers were approving legislation requiring hospitals and nursing homes to report patient infections to state authorities (as blogged on 7/16) – KaiserNetwork today reports that Govenor Rendell last Friday signed this bill into law. The bill will require hospitals to test their highest-risk patients and patients admitted from nursing homes for infections that are resistant to antibiotics as part of his “Prescription for Pennsylvania” plan. The bill, which will provide higher reimbursements to hospitals that meet benchmarks in preventing infections, will require most hospitals to install software to assist in tracking infections. Hospitals will be required to report infections to CDC, which then would provide the information to state agencies in Pennsylvania. The law will be phased in over several years.
PA Govenor signs bill requiring hospitals to report HAI to state
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