About 100 hospitals are participating in a statewide initiative to reduce the number patients who get infections in the hospital, as well as the number of patients who need to be readmitted.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the initiative is part of a national project to reduce hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent and hospital readmissions by 20 percent by the end of 2013. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates the reductions would save billions of dollars and tens of thousands of lives.

The Wisconsin Hospital Association is funding its initiative with money included in the federal health care reform law. Hospitals operated by Aurora Health Care, Froedtert Health, ProHealth Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare are participating. The Columbia St. Mary's Health System is participating in a similar initiative through Ascension Health.