During a visit to Pittsburgh this morning, Gov. Ed Rendell said the state will pursue new regulations that would require hospitals to initiate measures aimed at preventing the costly and deadly infections that patients can acquire.

The effort is part of the governor's Prescription for Pennsylvania, a plan he unveiled last week that is amied at cutting health-care costs, improving quality and increasing access to health care for about 767,000 adults who are uninsured.

"When you check into the hospital, the last thing you should have to worry about is whether you may become sicker or even die just because you are hospitalized,'' Mr. Rendell said during visit to the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, which has led successful efforts to reduce the infections.

"My plan will strongly encourage hospitals to do what others have been able to do -- stop the speread of preventable infections that seriously harm patients too often and needlessly drive up the costs of health care.''

According to the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, the average charge for treating hospital-acquired infections is about $185,000, compared to about $31,000 for patients without such infections.

As part of his plan, the governor, who spoke today during a visit to the VA hospital in Oakland, said the state would, over time, stop paying health-care providers for care associated with hospital-acquired infections or medical errors.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.