This healthcare quality report is excellent....for us to poop on!

So SHEA, APIC and IDSA have released a joint statement that echoes (and expands upon) Mike's concerns about the recent, highly publicized AHRQ report. The statement and accompanying set of talking points speak for themselves. I will quote one small section, and let you read the rest.

"We are concerned that any report coming from a government agency based solely on the use of administrative data, commonly referred to as billing/coding data, paints an inaccurate picture of healthcare-associated infections for the public. In contrast, another Department of Health and Human Services agency -- the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – is preparing to release epidemiologically sound, surveillance data based on the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Multiple studies have concluded that administrative coding data appears to be a poor tool for accurately identifying infections. This may create greater confusion among consumers."