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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 202
BY REPRESENTATIVE WILLMOTT
HEALTH/DISEASE CONTROL: Urges and requests the Healthcare-Acquired Infections
Advisory Group to identify the most significant healthcare-acquired infections,
provide strategies for the reduction of health care-acquired infections, and determine
a cost-effective method for health care providers to report these infections so that the
public may access this data
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Healthcare-Acquired Infections Advisory Group to identify the most2
health-compromising and costly healthcare- acquired infections in Louisiana, to rank3
them in order of severity and prevalence, to provide health care providers with4
strategies to combat healthcare-acquired infections, to determine a cost-effective5
method to use infection information currently reported to the Centers for Disease6
Control and Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services7
(CMS) and to provide this information in a manner that allows the public access to8
this data, and to compile these findings in a written report to be submitted to the9
House and Senate committees on health and welfare no later than February 1, 2011.10
WHEREAS, healthcare-acquired infections, also known as nosocomial infections,11
are serious public health concerns throughout the United States, with an estimated one12
million seven hundred thousand cases occurring each year; and13
WHEREAS, according to the United States Department of Health and Human14
Services, the treatment of nosocomial infections adds more than twenty billion dollars to15
health care spending each year, costing on average, eight thousand, eight hundred and thirty-16
two dollars per patient per admission; and;17
WHEREAS, in 2006 alone, forty-eight thousand patients died from nosocomial18
infections nationwide; and19 HLS 10RS-1506 ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), the Centers for Disease1
Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement have made it2
a top priority to reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections; and3
WHEREAS, in 2008, the legislature passed the Louisiana Health Care Consumers'4
Right to Know Act (R.S. 40:1300.111 through 1300.114) to provide consumers access to5
health care cost, quality, and performance data on health care facilities, so that consumers6
may make "meaningful comparison of costs for specific health care services and specific7
quality of care measures between and among medical facilities, health care providers, and8
health plans"; and9
WHEREAS, it has been established that nosocomial infections contribute to a10
significant number of undesirable health outcomes, and it is a critical goal for the11
Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) to decrease these undesirable events by12
providing health care providers with infection reduction strategies and making available13
useful, relevant statistical data to the public so that Louisiana's patients will have the ability14
to make informed, effective health care decisions; and15
WHEREAS, the Healthcare-Acquired Infections Advisory Group created by DHH16
is comprised of a variety of key stakeholders in the health care provider community, with17
representatives from the Louisiana Hospital Association, Louisiana Board of Pharmacy,18
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Tulane University School of Medicine,19
the Department of Health and Hospitals, and other health care providers, making this20
established group of stakeholders particularly well-qualified to achieve the goals described21
herein.22
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby23
urge and request the Healthcare-Acquired Infections Advisory Group to identify the most24
health-compromising and costly healthcare-acquired infections in Louisiana, to rank them25
in order of severity and prevalence, to provide health care providers with strategies to26
combat healthcare-acquired infections, to determine a cost-effective method to use infection27
information currently reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and28
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and to provide this information in a29 HLS 10RS-1506 ORIGINAL
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manner that allows the public access to this data, and to compile these findings in a written1
report to be submitted to the House and Senate committees on health and welfare.2
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report by the Healthcare-Acquired Infections3
Advisory Group shall:4
(1) According to statistical data, rank the most health-compromising and costly5
healthcare-acquired infections in those licensed health care facilities included in the6
Louisiana Health Care Consumers' Right to Know Act in order of severity and prevalence.7
(2) Determine the most cost-effective method for Louisiana health care providers8
to report the prevalence of nosocomial infections in their respective facilities from the list9
established by the Healthcare-Acquired Infections Advisory Group.10
(3) Determine which information on nosocomial infections should be reported by11
each licensed health care provider included in the Louisiana Health Care Consumers' Right12
to Know Act, including but not limited to the number and type of diagnosed nosocomial13
infections identified by those licensed health care providers.14
(4) Determine how frequently the information on nosocomial infections should be15
reported by each licensed health care provider. In its determination, the Healthcare-16
Acquired Infections Advisory Group shall balance public safety with the operational and17
financial burden to licensed health care providers.18
(5) Assess whether the CDC National Healthcare Safety Network should be19
incorporated into the new reporting system and, if so, how it should be incorporated.20
(6) Determine which reported information on nosocomial infections DHH should21
be required to post on a designated website for public review and use. In its determination,22
the Healthcare-Acquired Infections Advisory Group shall balance legal restrictions and23
privacy concerns with the goal for the public to have access to the essential information24
which facilitates consumer choice among health care providers based on quality outcomes.25
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the list of healthcare-acquired infections deemed26
to be the most health-compromising and costly may include but not be limited to those27
infections currently being reported by hospitals and other health care providers to CMS and28
the CDC and will also include: 29
(1) Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections (MRSA)30 HLS 10RS-1506 ORIGINAL
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(2) Multiple Drug Resistant Organisms (MDRO)1
(3) Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD)2
(4) Central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI)3
(5) Catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI)4
(6) Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)5
(7) Mediastinitis following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)6
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report of the Healthcare-Acquired Advisory7
Group's findings shall be submitted to the House and Senate committees on health and8
welfare no later than February 1, 2011. 9
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Willmott HCR No. 202
Urges and requests the Healthcare-Acquired Infections Advisory Group to identify the most
health-compromising and costly healthcare-acquired infections in La., to rank them in order
of severity and prevalence, to provide healthcare providers with strategies to combat
healthcare-acquired infections, to determine a cost-effective method to use infection
information currently reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and to provide this information in a
manner that allows the public access to this data, and to compile these findings in a written
report to be submitted to the House and Senate committees on health and welfare no later
than Feb. 1, 2011.