Overall, California hospitals are getting better at preventing common patient infections and 56 hospitals — 14 percent of those that reported any infections — demonstrated “significant improvement,” according to the report from the California Department of Public Health released in December.

Bloodstream infections related to the insertion of central venous lines are 39 percent lower than the national average since 2008, and bloodstream infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are 10 percent lower since 2011. Surgical site infections after 29 types of procedures fell 34 percent below the average since 2008.

Clostridium difficile diarrheal infections in California hospitals have been harder to contain, rising 8 percent above the national average since 2011. They now are the most common hospital infection.

You can read more about the new health care-associated infections in Ana B. Ibarra’s coverage.