State Says Colorado Doing Better On Infection Rates
DENVER (AP) — State officials say Colorado health-care facilities are doing better in meeting national standards for infection rates.
The state Department of Public Health and Environment said Wednesday that 99 percent of Colorado medical facilities met or exceeded national standards in 2013, up from 96 percent in 2011.
Facilities covered include hospitals, surgical centers and dialysis centers.
Colorado is among 35 states that require infection rate reporting on a variety of procedures. The reporting also includes infections from central lines or catheters, which are inserted in large veins and sometimes remain in place for weeks.
Breast and colon surgeries were added to the 2013 reporting requirements in Colorado. The number of facilities reporting infections also increased, from 181 in 2011 to 210 in 2013.
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