Albany Watch

With hospital-acquired infections affecting 5 to 10 percent of patients, New York is giving more than $1.2 million to hospitals for projects to tackle the issue. Each year, hospital patients across the country contract an estimated 1.7 infections, resulting in some 99,000 deaths, according to state Health Commissioner Richard Daines.

Prevention efforts will target some of the most dangerous hospital-acquired infections, such as MRSA, which is caused by a staph infection; Clostridium difficile, which causes intestinal problems; bloodstream infections; and ventilator-associated pneumonias.

The Healthcare Association of New York State, which represents more than 200 hospitals statewide, is receiving $105,023, and the Greater New York Hospital Association is getting $174,860.

Among the individual hospitals that are being funded are:
—University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, $192,573, to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections outside the intensive care unit.
—Westchester County Healthcare Corp., Valhalla,  $199,991, to reduce hospital-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care and respiratory-care patients. The infections have been found to extend the length of stay and increase costs by up to $40,000 per survivor.

Each applicant had to get collaboration of at least five hospitals to be eligible for the funds.