Aggressive MRSA Protocol Meets with Success in VA Hospital
Despite the increasing prevalence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a surgical unit of one U.S. hospital has managed to halt its spread. According to a recent article in The New York Times, a surgery unit of the Veterans Affairs hospital in Pittsburgh reduced its average caseload from 60 MRSA infections per year to only 17, using aggressive detection and containment protocols that require diagnostic nasal swabs of all new patients, and the isolation of those infected behind red painted lines that warn caregivers to don gloves and gowns before entering. According to the article, similar campaigns in the Netherlands and Finland have met with success, as well.
According to the NY Times article, current cost estimates of MRSA treatment in the U.S. range from $20 billion to over $30 billion annually. The VA unit's infection control program costs approximately $500,000 per year, including the salaries of three dedicated professionals and additional protective equipment. The hospital recently netted a $900,000 savings, however, by reducing its number of infected patients. Because reimbursement for MRSA-related treatment has not kept pace with actual treatment costs, these infections can be a tremendous drain on the resources of a hospital.
Experts quoted in the article also suggest that lax federal guidelines regarding infection control are not stringent enough, alone, to contain the spread of MRSA.
Previously on the D.C. Metro Area Medical Malpractice Law Blog, we have posted articles related to:
- Higher-than-expected rates of MRSA in U.S. hospitals
- Contaminated hospital rooms leading to MRSA infections
- CDC guidelines for containing multi-drug resistant organisms (MROs)
- MRSA in emergency rooms