Mortality rates continue to drop in New York

Although hospital infections remain high and are increasing in New York State, overall death rates have improved for medical care, according to the latest report card on hospitals. The Niagara Health Quality Coalition examined data from 2006 on deaths, inappropriate numbers of procedures and patient safety measures in 31 areas of care—including infection rates due to medical care, heart bypass surgery deaths and numbers of cesarean section deliveries. Hospitals were then ranked based on whether their results were better, worse or the same as the state average.