Where are the hospital security disclosure bills during the term of Office?

By David McGrath Schwartz (contact) Saturday 4 June 2011 | 2 Sam Morris a.m. President and CEO of the Nevada Hospital Association Bill Welch responds to a question during a meeting in Nevada's legal Committee on health care Tuesday 20 July, 2010. Sheila Leslie

CARSON CITY – perhaps the most important sign that opinion has shifted on whether patients should know more about Nevada hospital security records: The Nevada Hospital Association and the Nevada State Medical Association supported bills that require such disclosure during the 2011 term.

Nevada health care community know "it's a national trend. They know that it would come, "said Bill Welch, CEO of the Association of hospital.

In fact, bills that have passed or be likely to pass through 2011 legislature will give consumers better information in selecting hospitals by giving them access to the facilities is preventable infections and other injuries, safety advocates say.

When consumers begin to choose hospitals based on security, said it will create competition to improve their safety records, State Sen. Sheila Leslie, D-Reno.

"We know that we are making significant progress on health and openness," said Bobbette Bond, Executive Director of the Group of Nevada health care. "These will provide better information to consumers to make choices."

Sentinel events-unexpected events in hospitals which causes harm or the risk thereof – are currently reported to the general public who became total, making it useless for consumers who want to compare facilities records. The legislation would require incidents reported by the facility and hospital, and made available for public scrutiny on a State Web site.

Not everything was a victory. Certain legislative proposals would have required nursing homes public reporting incidents. They were taken out of the legislation after the State said it would require more staff time. -There is something to work with the next session, said Leslie.

The Bills were prompted by the Las Vegas Sun's series of "Do no harm," which analyzed hospital billing records on file with the State, to find that patients in 2008 and 2009 were preventing damage, life-threatening infections or other damage 969 times in Las Vegas hospital. In that time, infected patients even with two kinds of lethal, drug-resistant "superbugs" in area hospitals 2,005 times.

The series received many awards, including being named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the highest honor, the journalistiks.

Here is the status of the four legislative proposals aimed at enhancing the health and transparency:

• Senate Bill 209: requires the State Health Division publishes annual reports on its website comparing the "sentinel events" in a hospital in Clark and Washoe County. The Bill defines a sentinel event as a "facility-acquired infection, death or serious physical or mental injury to unexpected events." Status: signed by Governor.

• Senate Bill 264: should also require that the State report sentinel chickens events of the plant. But that would require reporting of readmission patients on readmission was potentially preventable and related to the first entry and residence. The money through administrative penalties could be used for training to improve the quality of care. Status: in Conference Committee between the Assembly and Senate.

• Senate Bill 338: requires every medical facility and nursing homes that care for 25 or more patients reporting sentinel chickens events to a Center for disease control and prevention programmes. The State Health Division would be required to access and publish this information on all medical facilities after 15 October, and nursing homes on 1 January. The reports would allow comparisons between plants. Status: is considered by the Senate. would have to pass through the Assembly.

• Senate Bill 342: requires doctors to inform patients of infections acquired in hospitals. The law requires that patients or their families or guardians, to know within five days. There are exceptions, such as when a patient is left or suicidal. Status: awaiting Governor's signature.

• Senate Bill 340: hospital and body cage surgical resources would be required to report the names of doctors performing surgical procedures and information on these procedures. It would be a step towards linking doctors to potential medical complications. Status: passed the Senate. require the approval of the Assembly.