Yes ask about their rate of hospital acquired infections, like HA-MRSA, more than likely the person you are speaking to will not know the awnser but I would suggest asking to speak to the infection contril department at that particular facility. The CDC has on general information about rates of infection (without facility names), you may consult the CDC website for healthcare-associated infections surveillance at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/surveillance.html.
I am also am aware of medicaid changing policies and informing hospitals it will not pay for costs incurred when a hospital aqcuired infection occurs, I say WHAT A GREAT IDEA, what a way to make the hospitals take every precaution nescessary. I dont know how the little average everyday person could put a hospital on such notice when you know you will be recieving care there. Most of their preopperative releases do note risks including infection and we just sign away any recourse we might have had. You might do some calling and find out what hospital has the lowest rate of HA-MRSA cases and just make an educated choice.
A mom whos daughter got HA-MRSA back east passed a bill requiring hospital in her state to post this information and make it easily availabe to the public. I think all states should pass similar lesilation. If resteraunts have to post their health inspection stickers on the front doors of their establishments so the public is aware of low scores, it lets the public make an educated dinning choice and forces dirty resteraunts to clean up their acts, Hospitals should have to do similarly!
