Mandatory public reporting in the USA: an example to follow?

ABSTRACT

Increasingly states in the USA are enacting laws mandating reporting and disclosure of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). The rapid development of legislation has occurred in response to increased coverage of HAIs in the mainstream media coupled with active involvement of consumer advocacy organizations. The transformation of healthcare in the USA into a commodity has fostered a strong role for consumer advocacy to which state legislative bodies have shown willingness to respond.