The Health and Human Services department's 2009 quality report to Congress found “very little progress” on eliminating hospital-acquired infections and counseled “urgent attention” to deal with the shortcomings.
Of five major types of serious hospital-related infections, rates of illnesses increased for three, one showed no progress, and one showed a decline. As many as 98,000 people a year die from medical errors, and preventable infections, along with medication mix-ups, are a significant part of the problem.
Such medical missteps will have financial consequences under President Barack Obama's new health care overhaul law. Starting in a few years, Medicare payments to hospitals will be reduced for preventable readmissions and for certain infections that can usually be staved off with good nursing care.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius called the report “a pretty clear diagnosis of some of the gaps and shortcomings in our nation's health care system.” Although the United States spends about $2.5 trillion a year on medical care, patients often do not receive the care recommended for their particular conditions.
Generally, patients are more likely to receive optimal care in a hospital as compared to an outpatient facility.
The quality report was accompanied by a second study that found continuing shortfalls in quality of care for minorities and low-income people, particularly the uninsured.
About 30 million people are without health insurance in the United States. The new law will cover most of them.
