Parker Waichman LLP

Infections Rates High at NYU Langone Medical Center

A recent Consumer Report study revealed that NYU Langone Medical Center—among other hospitals—is performing poorly in how it keeps intensive care unit (ICU) infection levels down, reports NYU News. Langone was identified as having one of the highest infection rates of ICUs in Manhattan at a whopping 116 percent worse than the national average for […]

A recent Consumer Report study revealed that NYU Langone Medical Center—among other hospitals—is performing poorly in how it keeps i<"https://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/hospital_infections">ntensive care unit (ICU) infection levels down, reports NYU News. Langone was identified as having one of the highest infection rates of ICUs in Manhattan at a whopping 116 percent worse than the national average for infections in ICUs, said NYU News.

The study found that Langone had 39 infections out of 10,119 central-line days in 2008, a figure that is over double the amount of the national average, said NYU News, which explained that a central-line is the plastic tube that assists in the delivery of critical antibiotics and fluids to the body. Central-line days, noted NYU News, represent the “combined total days in which a patient is connected to the tubes.”

Dr. Michael Phillips, a Langone epidemiologist, argued that the facility immediately responded by implementing training for all doctors and nurses on new IV connectors and how to better insert and maintain central-lines, said NYU News. The infection rate did drop in last year’s first quarter, to below the state average, according to Phillips, said NYU News. Not everyone was impressed. Omar Mata, a pre-med track CAS freshman was quoted as saying, reported NYU News, “It’s really a top hospital,” Mata said. “It’s bad that they have so much money, but they can’t keep it bacteria free.”

The issue of hospital-acquired infections is nothing new. We recently wrote that a study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that Acinetobacter—a very resistant bacterium—appears to be thriving in hospitals nationwide, according to Business Week. Looking at data (1999-2006) from 300 hospitals across the country, the researchers saw an excess of a 300-percent increase in cases of Acinetobacter resistant to Primaxin (generic: Imipenem). Acinetobactor is generally found in patients being treated in the intensive care units of hospitals and often results in significant “pneumonias or bloodstream infections,” said Business Week, adding that the infections are not always cured with the most powerful of antibiotics.

Also, the community-acquired strain of the deadly Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pathogen is presenting larger health issues than first believed, reported Science Daily recently. MRSA is a bacterium that can cause serious infection and is resistant to most antibiotics and the meticillin class of antibiotics.

MRSA now has two main strains including the traditional, hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA), which, said eFluxMedia in an earlier report, is more dangerous due to its overwhelming antibiotic resistance. A recent study looked at information from over 300 microbiology labs serving hospitals nationwide, and found a seven-fold increase in the proportion of Community-Acquired MRSA in outpatient hospitals from 1999 to 2006, said Science Daily. The team said the increase poses a threat to patient safety since physicians tend to work between hospital inpatient and outpatient areas.

About 100,000 cases of invasive MRSA occur annually in the United States according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and, shockingly, most infections occur in hospitals and other health-care settings. According to research conducted at McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Canada, over 20 percent of its MRSA patients were dead within one year. In the U.S. MRSA kills some 20,000 people annually, said Science Daily. According to 2005 CDC figures, nearly 19,000 people died in the U.S. from MRSA infections; 94,000 were seriously sickened.

What Our Clients Say About Us
We have worked with thousands of clients and we appreciate them and their positive reviews. Here are just a few recent client reviews...
5 Star Reviews 150
I am very grateful to the lawyers at Parker Waichman for their experience and speed, they have helped me in two accident cases, thanks also to Catherine for her kindness, she has helped me in the translation and processing of the case, to Jorge for helping me finalize the case ! two extraordinary people. Thank you Parker Waichman.
PAblo MEndez
5 months ago
5 Star Reviews 150
My husband and I would like to personally thank Ashley Lopilato and Parker Waichman for their assistance in having a successful outcome through a long and very difficult process. It was a relief to have Ashley and the staff follow-up on the status of our claim and keeping us informed. It was worth the wait! We recommend Parker Waichman to handle your legal needs.
Yolanda Quinones
3 years ago
5 Star Reviews 150
Parker and Waichman has some amazing attorneys. Josephine Burgess -Zephrine (my paralegal) and her staff are so very caring and compassionate. They made what was a very rough time, go a little smoother. I would recommend anyone that is injured by someone else's poor judgment To use Parker and Waichman.
Glenroy Hutchinson
5 years ago

Why Choose Us to Help You?

We Take Care of Everything
Your situation is stressful enough: Let us take on the deadlines, paperwork, investigation, and litigation. We'll handle every detail so you don't have to worry.
No Recovery = No Legal Fees
We work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that we only get paid from a portion of your settlement or jury award. If you don't get compensation, you owe us nothing.
Decades of Experience
Your situation is stressful enough: Let us take on the deadlines, paperwork, investigation, and litigation. We'll handle every detail so you don't have to worry.
Respected by Our Peers
Judges, insurance adjusters, and fellow attorneys all speak highly of our skills, and we've earned numerous accolades, including a flawless rating from AVVO.
We Have Many Locations To Serve You
We have the experience and the skilled litigators to win your case. Contact us and speak with a real attorney who can help you.
Long Island – Nassau
Parker Waichman LLP
6 Harbor Park Drive
Port Washington, NY 11050
Long Island – Suffolk
Parker Waichman LLP
201 Old Country Road – Suite 145
Melville, NY 11747
New York
Parker Waichman LLP
59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038
Queens
Parker Waichman LLP
118-35 Queens Boulevard, Suite 400
Forest Hills, NY 11375
Brooklyn
Parker Waichman LLP
300 Cadman Plaza West
One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
New Jersey
Parker Waichman LLP
80 Main Street, Suite 265
West Orange, NJ 07052
Florida
Parker Waichman LLP
27299 Riverview Center Boulevard
Suite 108
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
Nationwide Service
Parker Waichman LLP
59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038