The crisis is not over. The only thing that has happened is some moderation in the rate of increase of our premiums, but we still have issues in terms of recruitment and retention of physicians.

Hospital interest in combating and fighting infection has been going on for decades. It is a critical issue that hospitals devote enormous resources to, and long before the Partnership for Patient Care was created.

Hospitals have made enormous efforts in trying to more efficiently and effectively deliver care, and hospitals have also made painful decisions. Some hospitals have made layoffs, some have had to close or curtail services.

It’s a huge economic engine. For every dollar a hospital spends, it turns over two to three times in the local economy.