The state could soon be more open about how many patients contract infections at hospitals.
As The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Jake Neher reports, state health officials warn it won’t be easy to provide all the information necessary for people to make the most informed decisions.
A recent MLive.com series suggests the Michigan Department of Community Health has withheld hospital infection data from the public. The data also show information about infection rates at specific hospitals.
Jim Haveman is the department’s director. He says that’s one reason it’ll take some time to reassess the policies.
“I just can’t put out a new policy tomorrow,” he says. “I’ve got agreements with various hospitals. So over the next 30, 60 days we’ll take a look at this.”
31 states and the District of Columbia require health care facilities to report information on infection rates.