Flaw-ridden testing for dangerous infections vexes health officials

By Deborah Schoch, CHCF Center for Health Reporting and Joe Goldeen, Record Staff Writer | October 15, 2012    A two-month Record investigation has found that current state and federal tools to diagnose and track C. difficile patients are riddled with flaws. Not only are testing methods in question, but many cases go uncounted. 

To fight the spread of C. difficile, health experts say they must be able to count and track infected patients. That’s a challenge they haven’t solved. 

For instance, infection counts may increase dramatically across the country, experts say, when more medical centers embrace the new, sensitive tests.  Read more