Solutions for Hospital Acquired Infections

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

I want to take a closer look at the impact of the new Healthcare Law in terms upon hospital acquired infections — and why Medizone International’s successful decontamination by AsepticSure™ to the 6 log standard or greater on hospital surfaces represents solution for Hospital Administrators in terms of revenue.

Consumers Union, a nonprofit group that publishes Consumer Reports, analyzed the patient safety initiatives in the health reform law. Health reform law addresses issues associated with Medicare patients. Because Medicare patients represent half of all hospital patients hospitals will be paying attention.

Medicare policies tend to dictate a hospital’s practice for all patients. Private insurers and other public health programs change their policies to follow Medicare.

Medicare’s Hospital Compare Web site will publish individual hospital errors rates for about a dozen avoidable conditions for Medicare Patients including hospital acquired infections. This is the same list of conditions that Medicare stopped paying for in 2008.

Medicare payments to hospitals hospitals will be adjusted based on patient outcome.

Hospitals with better outcomes for pneumonia and preventing infections will benefit from higher payments.

Hospitals with high rates of hospital-acquired infections receive reduced payments.

For example, 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.

Dr. James Conway, a senior fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Boston, said the law raises the bar for quality.

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.

New Healthcare Law:

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.

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 re-admissions.

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.

• C.difficile
• E coli
• Pseudomonas aeruginous
• MRSA
• VRE
• Bacillius subtilis

• Hospitals
• Sports training facilities
• Schools
• Critical infrastructure