The federal government has been collecting patient safety data for some time now. Looking at hospitals and physicians, tracking adverse events -- all of this is intended to provide more transparency for patients and payers. As consumers, the theory goes, knowing about the number and types of medical errors that occur in a hospital will encourage us to choose the facility with better ratings; facilities that fall short will have to improve to keep our business.

One important measure is the number of patients in intensive care units that acquire central line infections. About 30 percent of Texas hospitals reported no such infections, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's most recent data.

The central line is the IV used to deliver multiple medications and, at times, nutrition to a seriously ill patient. Typically, a central line is placed in a large vein near the patient's collarbone or in the groin, and it remains there for several days. The use of a large vein insures that medication and nutrition enter the patient's system quickly.

Because the line is in place for several days, there is a greater chance of infection at the site and through the line. It's no small matter, either; a central-line-associated bloodstream infection can be fatal. CDC data shows that central line infections caused about 18,000 patient deaths in 2009. The Consumers Union found that the infection proved fatal for one in four affected patients.

The average "standardized infection rate" for U.S. hospitals is 1.0. For Texas hospitals (when data was available), the average is 0.26. A score of 0 is the best.

Source: The Free Lance-Star, "Hospital excels in infection avoidance," Elizabeth Pezzullo, Feb. 9, 2012