The state Health Department has released its annual report of healthcare-associated infections, showing a decrease of three percent overall in 2011. 

The report uses three benchmarks to measure hospital performance: catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central-line bloodstream infections, and six types of surgical site infections.

Indiana Regional Medical Center fared well in the report. For the entire year, there were 68 infections reported, with the most in the area that is traditionally troublesome, the gastrointestinal system.  IRMC had 23 GI infections.  The next most was pneumonia, followed by urinary tract infections, and surgical site infections.

Of the three benchmark categories, IRMC was right at the expected number of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, with an expected number of 3.99 and four actual cases.  The expected number of central-line bloodstream infections was 1.62 and IRMC had only one.  Doctors at IRMC performed only three of the six types of measured categories for surgical-site infections, and with a combined expected level of 4.62, had only one infection.  Those were in knee and hip replacement and abdominal hysterectomies.

Pennsylvania has issued the healthcare-associated infection report since it became rquired by law in 2007.