MA Ranks Worst in Nation for Patients Acquiring a Preventable Infection

Thursday, June 11, 2015

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Massachusetts hospitals have the highest rate preventable catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) in the U.S.. According to data compiled by Becker's Hospital Review, hospitals in the Bay State have a standardized infection ratio for catheter-associated urinary tract of 1.696 - the highest in the country.

"These infections cost the system millions of dollars in wasted health care spending and are a key indicator of the quality of care in our state’s and our nation’s hospitals," said David Schildmeier in a released statement. "The specific RN to patient limits called for under the new Massachusetts ICU staffing law have been linked to dramatic reductions in these types of infections."

The ratio is based on observed-to-expected infection rates and based on the number of CAUTIs that would be predicted in each state. For a full list of all 50 states and Washington, D.C, click here.

The data was compiled by Becker's from June 2013 to July 2014 and reflects the most recent data available.

Schildmeier added, "The hospital industry has been refusing to comply with the new law, and is now actively engaged in a campaign to undermine the law. This is why we need strong regulations from HPC and for the industry to be held accountable for adhering to the one-to-one staffing standard the new law dictates."

Here are the states with the ten lowest and ten highest CAUTIs ratios: