Tell your representative to co-sponsor the Healthy Hospitals Act of 2007:

[rodeodance]

Consumers Union wrote:
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> Dear xxxx,
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> The growing movement to clean up U.S. hospitals and put a stop to deadly infections has reached congress! Rep. Tim Murphy (PA) introduced a bill requiring public disclosure of infection rates (HR 1174).
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> Take this opportunity to urge your representative to co-sponsor the Healthy Hospitals Act of 2007.
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https://secure.npsite.org/cu/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr007=xl61wuqv6g.app14b&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1645
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> Almost 100,000 people die every year due to infections acquired during their hospital stay. It is one of the leading causes of death in this country, but patients and their families don't know their hospital's record on infections because that record is a secret.
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> Although the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported the danger of infections for decades, the medical community failed to make infection prevention a priority until state legislatures started passing public disclosure laws--currently nineteen states have done so. While we will continue working to pass strong state laws, it will probably take an act of Congress to get infection rate information on every hospital in America.
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> Infections not only cost lives, they cost money. The CDC estimates the national cost of hospital infections can be as much as $27.5 billion annually. These costs are paid for by you and me, mostly through the added charges to Medicare, the largest payer of costs associated with hospital infections.
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> Tell your representative that you want to kill the infections before they kill any more Americans.
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> Demand accountability from our hospitals and government leaders. Help us hold their feet to the fire by giving the public information about how well hospitals prevent infections--so they will have the strongest possible incentive to improve.
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> Safer hospitals save lives.
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> Thank you,
> Lisa McGiffert
> StopHospitalInfections.org
> A Project of Consumers Union
> 506 W. 14th Street
> Austin, TX 78701
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> PS: Please help us spread the word about this important bill. Please forward this message to your friends and family.
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[blm]

1. This is seriously important. It was a part of the 2003-4 campaign

that Kerry emphasized many times, but the corporate media had no interest in the issue.

I am thrilled to see it coming back - good on Murphy.