To examine the effect of mandated state health care–associated infection () reporting laws on central line–associated bloodstream infection () rates in adult intensive care units (s).
We analyzed 2006–2012 adult and hospital annual survey data from the National Healthcare Safety Network. The final analytic sample included 244 hospitals, 947 hospital years, 475 s, 1,902 years, and 16,996 months.
We used a quasi‐experimental study design to identify the effect of state mandatory reporting laws. Several secondary models were conducted to explore potential explanations for the plausible effects of laws.
Controlling for the overall time trend, s in states with laws had lower rates beginning approximately 6 months prior to the law's effective date (incidence rate ratio = 0.66; < .001); this effect persisted for more than 6 1/2 years after the law's effective date. These findings were robust in secondary models and are likely to be attributed to changes in central line usage and/or resources dedicated to infection control.
Our results provide valuable evidence that state reporting requirements for s improved care. Additional studies are needed to further explore why and how mandatory reporting laws decreased rates.
