House Republican Press Release

May 3, 2006

Press Office: 860-240-8700

O’Neill Applauds Passage of Hospital Infections Bill

Public Act Co-Sponsored by Southbury Legislator Now Heads to Governor

HARTFORD – Representative Arthur O’Neill (R-Southbury) today applauded the passage by the House and the Senate of legislation he co-sponsored that requires hospitals and outpatient surgical facilities to meet specific reporting requirements for hospital acquired infections.

Under provisions of the act, hospitals must report such infections to the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the department must compile a list of them. The act defines a “hospital acquired infection” as any localized or systemic patient condition that resulted from the presence of an infectious agent or agents, or its toxin or toxins, as determined by clinical examination and confirmed by laboratory testing, and was not found to be present or incubating at the time of admission unless the infection was related to a previous admission to the same hospital.

“Infections obtained at a hospital are more common than one might think,” said Representative O’Neill, who noted that his own late father contracted hospital acquired infections on two separate occasions.  “The collection of this data and publication of it can be significant in establishing and identifying infection patterns.  This is a critical first step in helping reduce the occurrence of such infections.”

DPH must adopt regulations including a list of reportable infections under provisions of the act, and forms for reporting them as well as specific information concerning the patient and his infection. DPH must also report annually to the Public Health Committee on hospital acquired infection rates.

The measure now heads to Governor M. Jodi Rell for her signature.