Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths Applauds Senator Durbin's Hospital Infection Legislation, but Suggests Some Crucial Additions in Order to Combat Soaring ...(ms. 4. Penalize Hospitals that Fail ...),Health

4. Penalize Hospitals that Fail to Deal Honestly with Government and Families:

On October 17, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a report showing that MRSA infections were twice as prevalent as previous CDC estimates. Previous estimates were based on what hospitals reported to the CDC, told families, and put on death certificates. The new data are based on laboratory results. "Families have complained to me for years that they were not told the truth when their loved one died from an infection. When stockbrokers and corporate CEO's lie about finances, they risk going to jail. But when hospital administrators fail to tell someone the truth about why their mother or father died, there's no penalty. That needs to change," said McCaughey. Senator Durbin should include a penalty in his legislation for under-reporting.