Healthcare-Associated Infections in California Hospitals Annual Report, 2017

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) publishes healthcare-associated infections (HAI) data to prompt hospitals to take action to prevent infections and provide to consumers vital information about the quality of hospital care (Health and Safety Code section 1288.55).  This report presents California hospital HAI data for calendar year 2017.

From 2016 to 2017, California hospitals made the most substantial progress in HAI prevention since reporting began in 2009.  In 2017, hospitals reported 2,602 fewer HAI than reported in 2016.  Statewide incidence for all reportable infection types is now lower or “better” than 2015 national baselines (Figure 1).

The 2017 reductions occurred most notably for C. difficile infections (CDI), a type of life-threatening diarrhea that occurs when a patient inadvertently ingests the organism and is treated with certain antibiotics. The statewide CDI incidence decreased by 26% since 2015. 

For more details, including the action CDPH is taking to assist hospitals with high HAI rates, please read the full report.

Annual HAI Report

Healthcare-Associated Infections Annual Report , 2017 (PDF)

Healthcare-Associated Infections Report 2017, Executive Summary (PDF)

HAI Interactive Map

Please also visit the My Hospital’s Infections map to see how your hospital’s HAI results compare with others.     

Data tables are available on the California Health and Human Services Open Data Portal (Select Diseases and Conditions).  ​​