Less than half of U.S. states require hospitals to report surgical site infections, and only a fraction of these states have publicly posted the information for patients to use in deciding where to seek care, said a study published online March 2 in theJournal for Healthcare Quality.

Twenty-one states require reporting of infections acquired during surgical procedures such as coronary artery bypass grafts and hip and knee replacements. Only 14 of these states have so far posted any of the information publicly. Moreover, states differ on data collection procedures and risk-adjustment standards.

My latest. Read the whole shebang.