NEW YORK (AP) — New York state hospitals are making progress in preventing patients from getting infections while in the hospital.

That's according to a study released Tuesday by the state Health Department that compared hospital-acquired infection rates in 2008 with 2007.

It found that the rate of infections from coronary artery bypass grafts in New York's hospitals decreased from 2.6 percent of patients to 2.1 percent

Infections from colon surgery declined from 5.9 percent to 4.9 percent.

Health Commissioner Richard Daines says that overall, New York's rate of infections acquired in the hospital is lower than the national average.