Medicare Addresses HAI’s

Posted in These Categories: News of Hospital Acquired Infections feature-main

Medizone International, Inc. (OTCBB and OTCQB: MZEI) (http://medizoneint.com)

The health reform law has an aspect focused on reducing medical errors in hospitals which includes hospital acquired infections by doing two things:

1. Making Medical Errors Public

2. Creating pay incentives for safer hospitals.

A million Americans are harmed each year as a result of their medical care — not their underlying condition — and an estimated 100,000 die.

In addition to that number: 100,000 people die each year from hospital- acquired infections.

The law allocates $75 million annually toward improving the measures used to evaluate quality and safety.

Reducing re-admissions in care for heart attacks, pneumonia and preventing infections — will be rewarded with higher payments.

Medicare patients make up about half of all hospital visits. Historically, private insurers and other public health programs change their policies to conform to Medicare policies.

When Medicare stopped paying for catheter-related urinary tract infections — forcing the hospital to bear the cost on their own — many hospitals implemented system-wide practices to prevent infections. Techniques included better tracking of patients with catheters and automatic messages to remind doctors to remove catheters because the longer the device is in place, the greater the chance for infection.

In 2014, Medicare’s Hospital Compare Web site will publish individual hospital errors rates for about a dozen avoidable conditions — the same list of conditions that Medicare stopped paying for in 2008. The public reporting will only include Medicare patients.

Incentives

Rewards hospitals for improving care: Beginning in 2012, hospitals that meet or exceed performance standards in conditions including stroke care, heart attack outcomes and infections will receive higher Medicare payments.

Penalizes hospitals for readmissions: Hospitals with high readmission rates for treatment of heart failure, pneumonia and a few other conditions will receive reduced Medicare payments in 2012. In 2014, it will be expanded to other conditions. Each hospital’s track record will be published.

Withholds payment for medical injuries: Medicare already restricts payment to hospital for extra care required to treat Medicare patients harmed by certain medical errors and this law expands this policy to Medicaid, the public health program geared for the poor and disabled.

Penalizes hospitals with high error rates: In 2014, Medicare will cut pay by 1 percent to hospitals with the highest rates of medical harm.

Requires public reporting of medical injuries: In 2014, the Medicare web site Hospital Compare will post each hospital’s record for certain medical errors and hospital-acquired infections. This limited reporting will cover only Medicare patients with certain conditions for which the hospital was not paid.

Requires insurers to demand better care: By 2012, insurers must have contracts with medical providers that include actions to reduce readmission, improve safety and use best practices.

Emphasizes effective practices: The law creates a Patient- Centered Outcomes Research Institute run by a private foundation that will find the most effective drugs, medical devices and procedures.

Establishes a patient safety center: The Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety will research and disseminate information about improving the quality and safety of health care, with an initial focus on preventing infections and reducing readmissions.

Requires reporting of gifts given to doctors: In 2013, device and drug manufacturers must begin reporting details about gifts and payments over $10 to doctors and teaching hospitals. The information will be published on a searchable Web site.

Improves quality measures: The law allocates $75 million annually toward improving the measures used to evaluate quality and safety.

Source: Consumers Union

Medizone International, Inc., is a research and development company engaged in developing its AsepticSure™ System to decontaminate and sterilize hospitals, sports training facilities, schools and other critical infrastructure. A government variant is being developed for bio-terrorism counter measures. Successful decontamination by AsepticSure™ to the 6 log standard or greater has been demonstrated with C.difficile, E coli, Pseudomonas aeruginous, MRSA, VRE and Bacillius subtilis.

Contact: Medizone International, Inc. (OTCBB: MZEI)
http://www.medizoneint.com

Telephone: 415-868-0300
Fax: 415-868-2344
Address:
Post Office Box 742
Stinson Beach, CA 94970

This release contains certain forward looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the results of ongoing clinical studies, economic conditions, product and technology development, production efficiencies, product demand, competitive products, competitive environment, successful testing and government regulatory issues. Additional risks are identified in the company’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Share and Enjoy: