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David Stanley Ford

Some Oklahoma hospitals need work, study finds
Infection prevention rated

BY VALLERY BROWN    Comments Comment on this article28
Published: May 8, 2009

Some Oklahoma hospitals aren’t doing enough to prevent surgery patients from developing infections, according to a report released by Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine.

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Compliance rates

Here’s a look at some hospitals’ compliance in administering an antibiotic at least an hour before a surgical incision is made:

Low scores

(79 percent compliance and below):


• Tahlequah City Hospital: 24 percent


• Southwestern Medical Center, Lawton: 68 percent


• Stillwater Medical Center: 71 percent

High scores

(95 percent compliance or higher):


• Mercy Health Center, Oklahoma City: 99 percent


• Duncan Regional Hospital: 99 percent


• Southcrest Hospital, Tulsa:

99 percent

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Hospital compliance in three areas of known infection prevention was tracked — the administering of antibiotics before an operation, stopping use within 24 hours after surgery and dispensing the correct type of antibiotic.

Twenty-four of 120 Oklahoma hospitals that submitted data to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services received a compliance score of 79 percent or less, which was considered low by Consumers Union. Nationwide, more than 455 hospitals were rated low for their infection prevention measures.

"These are proven prevention techniques,” said Tom Welin, medical facilities chief for the state Health Department. "They improve the probability that you won’t have a surgical-site infection.”

Dr. Dale Bratzler, chief executive officer for the Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality, said these measures can help reduce infection rates but are also important indicators of how well the hospital does in general.

Thirty-one Oklahoma hospitals were in high compliance, meaning they followed procedure more than 95 percent of the time.

Welin said these measurements are an important tool for hospitals and consumers to gauge how well they are doing.

"There is still considerable room for improvement,” Welin said. "Hospitals should be looking at these numbers themselves. They should act as flags for internal quality improvement.”

Figures used in report called out of date
Dinah Lazarde, director of quality and risk for Southwestern Medical Center in Lawton, said her hospital’s score of 68 percent in administering antibiotics before surgery was primarily because of documentation errors.

Those problems have been corrected and the next round of scores should be around 93 percent when they are reported in just over a week. The hospital’s surgical infection rate for 2008 was 0.4 percent, she said.

Tahlequah City Hospital reported similar documentation difficulties, said Donna Dallis, vice president of performance improvement. She anticipates their fourth-quarter results will be around 97 percent compliance.

But Bratzler said if a hospital claims its low numbers are due to documentation errors, there could be other issues at stake.

"If a patient gets an infection, and you can’t document that you gave an antibiotic at the right time, how do you defend yourself?” he asked.

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David Stanley Ford


Related Topics: Health and Fitness, Medicine, Business, Medical Treatments and Procedures, Consumer Protection, Surgery


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To the "real" Paul (who posted at 1:27 p.m.), you should change your user name so as not to be confused with the "other" Paul who is hopefully languishing in the Federal Correctional Center in WEST Yukon :-)))
c, Oklahoma City - May 9, 2009 at 5:37 pm
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Oh. Well that is sad. I am sorry for you that you're so miserable, but at least now I understand.
Raven, Edmond's Ghetto (Guthrie) - May 8, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I think there's TWO other pauls emulating me. I'm the real paul.
jesus lied for you, Heisman Town - May 8, 2009 at 1:27 pm
I'm stuck here. My roommate (and the state of Oklahoma) support my lifestyle but there is not much left over. Additionally, I haven't had a car for 3 years and I'm going crazy with cabin fever. I'm on the internet all day and night trying to find a helping hand. Plus it's nagging me that I must complete my education.
paul, yukon - May 8, 2009 at 1:18 pm
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Paul, that is sad. Maybe you should see about getting some counseling or checking into a mental hospital for an evaluation. Not one in Oklahoma, of course, because as you can see from reading this article, they are far below average. Perhaps a New York hospital would better suit your needs. Why is it exactly, that you stay in Oklahoma if it is so awful in your eyes?
Raven, Edmond's Ghetto (Guthrie) - May 8, 2009 at 1:04 pm
These grading systems are a waste of time and money. Their purpose is not to improve patient care, like they would have you believe. Instead they are trying to find excuses for medicare to not pay medical bills.
Hiffdas, fdassfas - May 8, 2009 at 12:56 pm
paul, are you on medication? Like, for depression or anything? You are so freaking hateful in almost every post. Is that how you get your rocks off, being hateful and rude and generally unpleasant? If this is all you have in life, then I guess I can understand. I'm just curious.
Raven, Edmond's Ghetto (Guthrie) - May 8, 2009 at 12:35 pm
S, you owe me an apology for your existence.
paul, yukon - May 8, 2009 at 12:17 pm
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Paul...you owe me an apology. In no way did I jump over you. I jumped over the other Paul. I did not deserve the comment you made.
No Name, Oklahoma City - May 8, 2009 at 12:07 pm
S, Congratulations ! You are another okie who has proven your ineptitude by jumping all over the fake paul. He's an okie emulating me. Superior NY education? Really? Because I've mentioned a couple of NY references, fake paul has misconstrued that as a "NY education", running with it, and you yokels are falling for it....no wonder okie is in the pathetic shape it's in...
paul, yukon - May 8, 2009 at 11:02 am
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Bob, MWC..you wrote "Keeping a healing wound clean and properly dressed is vital to preventing infection", which is absolutely true. However, when insurance companies won't pay for hospital stays and doctors have to rely on patients and their families to keep a surgical incision cleaned and dressed properly, they are just asking for problems. Right now, mastectomy patients are being sent home after surgery and told to care for themselves because insurance won't pay for the women to stay in the hospital.
No Name, Oklahoma City - May 8, 2009 at 11:01 am
Paul, your "superior New York education" apparently didn't do much for you since you can't even realize that Julia wasn't referring to anything you said. Which just proves the point that you are a troll looking to stir up crap because you are a mean-spirited jerk. Julia was referring to the post by Jess, by the way.
No Name, Oklahoma City - May 8, 2009 at 10:57 am
This report is misleading. Preoperative antibiotics have not been shown to be beneficial in all types of operative procedures. Surgical site infections have many contributing factors, many of which are not withing the surgeon's control. In fact, the patient has just as much responsibility in preventing infection as the healthcare workers. The patient's preoperative health is probably the biggest factor in preventing infection. Things like diabetes, smoking, hiv, chronic steroid use, and other conditions dramatically increase the risk of infection. Postoperative wound care is also very important. Keeping a healing wound clean and properly dressed is vital to preventing infection. That would seem to be common sense, but it is not for many people. The reason for the surgery is also a big contributor. A dirty gunshot wound, or an infected, gangrenous foot secondary to uncontrolled diabetes is much more likely to result in an surgical site infection than an elective procedure. A much better study would report a surgical site infection rate in patients treated with preop antibiotics compared to those not treated with preop antibiotics after controlling for these other factors that are known to affect infection rates.
bob, mwc - May 8, 2009 at 9:26 am
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So why do we need tort reform so there is no recourse for the hospitals' negligent acts?
Jeff, Oklahoma City - May 8, 2009 at 9:11 am
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There's a lot more that goes into preventing surgical infections besides timely antibiotic administration. Too bad this topic wasn't completely researched by the journalist.
Caitlyn, Edmond - May 8, 2009 at 8:47 am
paul and paul, yukon...it is indeed a backwards situation, but I do firmly believe each state has laws that provide police officers and government officials with a great deal more leniency than that of its respective populace. It keeps them on the job and puts us regular folks in the pokey. Comes in right handy for the powers that be all over this country.
Sallie, Del City - May 8, 2009 at 8:04 am
"As backwards as we Okies are, we have awhile to go before we begin arresting people for salt usage. "--Sallie let us not forget that in okie land a police officer only faces a 90 day sentence for assaulting a handcuffed prisoner, but a person that spits on a police officer can receive 5 years jail time. Backwards? Shall I continue??
paul, yukon - May 8, 2009 at 7:59 am
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Well, let me see, Sallie. Concern in a state about overall health, or worrying about fish tattooing and the 10 commandments on the capitol lawn. Which do you think has greater impact on the inhabitants of the respective state? How about the state "rock and roll" song? A worthwhile cause if I ever heard one. How about "art" on the turnpikes? Another worthwhile endeavor."Backwards okies"? You sure nailed that one.
paul, yukon - May 8, 2009 at 7:56 am
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paul and paul, you do realize that the superior education you have comes from a state that is on the verge of prohibiting the use of salt in restaurants for the protection and well-being of the populace don't you? Yes, I am sure this will help with New York's hospital conditions. As backwards as we Okies are, we have awhile to go before we begin arresting people for salt usage. I have no doubt that it will come about in the near future however.
Sallie, Del City - May 8, 2009 at 7:47 am
A yankee. Nice. From New Jersey? LOL
Ray, Warr Acres - May 8, 2009 at 6:52 am
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Unexceptional? That's unpossible!
Kevin, Oklahoma City - May 8, 2009 at 6:50 am
Julia. I have a superior New York education. You don't. I wrote what I meant. Be silent.
paul, yukon - May 8, 2009 at 6:45 am
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unexceptionable? do you mean unacceptable?
Julia, Oklahoma City - May 8, 2009 at 6:39 am
Nice job, Okieland hospitals. Another reason why okies healthcare is tied for dead last in the country. How does it feel to be as bad as Mississippi in something, anyway?
paul, yukon - May 8, 2009 at 4:37 am
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It's unexceptionable with how much we pay in healthcare costs now days.
Jess, Warr Acres - May 8, 2009 at 1:53 am
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no surprise there...Oklahoma is dedicated to being a perpetual laggard in health and education. But we sure now how to praise jesus!! Boy, does he love us all! Yeehaw!
jesus lied for you, Heisman Town - May 8, 2009 at 12:42 am

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