In a study released March 19, Georgia ranks last in the nation on laws that ensure open

government and protect citizens from public corruption. Conducted by the non-profit Center for

Public Integrity (CPI) along with Global Integrity and Public Radio International, the report gives

Georgia a grade of 49 out of 100. According to CPI, this State Integrity Investigation is a firstof-

its-kind, data-driven assessment of transparency, accountability and anti-corruption

mechanisms in all 50 states. Among their findings:

“In Georgia, more than 650 government employees accepted gifts from vendors doing

business with the state in 2007 and 2008, clearly violating state ethics law. The last time

the state issued a penalty on a vendor was 1999.”

This news comes as no surprise to Georgia Watch executive director Angela Speir Phelps. “Not

only does Georgia rank at the bottom in this report, we are the only state in the Southeast with

no limits on lobbyist spending on legislators,” she said

Key infection data for all hospitals, including those in Georgia, is now available through information available online via a federal report card.

The US Department of Health & Human Services website hospitalcompare.hhs.gov provides key information on a hospital’s instances of infections linked to central lines, which are catheters implanted to provide critical fluids and medications to sick patients. Unfortunately, these central lines can also make patients vulnerable to infections that can have a devastating effect on those already struggling to get well.

By knowing how their hospitals rank in regards to these, and other, key measures, patients are better equipped to make decisions about where they get their health care. Read more