DE HB403

Renames the "Hospital Infections Disclosure Act" to the "Healthcare Associated Infections Disclosure Act" and expands its scope to include long-term care facilities, freestanding surgical centers, dialysis centers, and psychiatric facilities in addition to hospitals and correctional facilities.

Requires all physicians and licensed practitioners who diagnose healthcare associated infections to report them to the healthcare facility where the clinical procedure was performed, not just the physician who performed the procedure.

Establishes an Advisory Committee to include representatives from infection control professionals, infectious disease physicians, healthcare facilities, nursing staff, researchers, consumer organizations, insurers, labor unions, and health insurance purchasers to guide data collection and analysis methodology.

Requires healthcare facilities to collect and report healthcare associated infection data using CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions, with the Department issuing quarterly reports to the public and annual reports to the legislature comparing infection rates to national benchmarks.

Permits the Department to require reporting from healthcare facilities other than hospitals and correctional facilities only with Advisory Committee concurrence and after federal regulations require such reporting, following evaluation of economic and public health impact.