More rules for California hospitals, but not a bad thing as MRSA is probably more common than one outside of working in a hospital might think. Sometimes the issues go beyond the hospital with a patient coming home and passing it along to family members too. One physician’s office had a situation like this, and repeated visits were made with more antibiotics prescribed as the virus kept getting passed from one member of the family to another, and much of that responsibility lies on the patients in that respect too as far as being clean and taking the proper responsibilities and hygiene. 
The family would keep returning to the physician’s office each time another member contracted the infection, so even outside the hospital, it can be spread. This was the entire family too, adults and children with the MRSA and of course the office staff would go on a forensic cleaning spree once the patients left. October 1st also starts the first date of the “never-never” non payment for hospitals, which hospital acquired diseases are a part of. BD
On another note, payments are finally going out to hospitals since the budget was signed. Government checks had not been released since July 1st and some nursing homes and other small facilities were not able to maintain and closed their doors during this time. BD
Four years ago, Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill that would have given hospitals more responsibility in tracking and reporting infections. Yesterday, he signed into law two bills that do just that, the Los Angeles Times reports.
One of the bills requires hospitals to screen high-risk patients for MRSA infections within 24 hours of admission. (MRSA is a virulent, increasingly common form of staph that’s resistant to most antibiotics.) It will also make hospitals report their infection rates.
The other bill requires more training on infection control training at hospitals, and adds to the state’s program for monitoring hospital infections.
With MRSA becoming a "never never" event, and the rise in community acquired MRSA, shouldn't all hospitals consider screening potential carriers visiting areas where the most vulnerable patients are treated? (ICU/CCU/NICU visitors, those visiting immunocompromised patients, possibly even day surgery patients - who always have the possibility to be admitted). One would think the theoretical cost of testing potential carriers would far outweigh losses taken on treating nosocomial MRSA infections.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, pts who demand unnecessary antibiotic treatment, non-compliant pts requiring antibiotic treatment who don't finish treatment, and providers who capitulate to get pts out the door quickly require remedial education. Case in point: Ms X habitually calls her PCP for a 3-day Zpak every time she has a perceived sinus infection. A viral infection should have run its course at the end of 3 days' time without the Zpak as placebo. IMHO, it would seem wiser for PCP to "prescribe" 4 days of plenty of fluids, OTC decongestants, pain meds, and perhaps an antihistamine with instructions to call back on the 5th day if symptoms persist.
My former PCP first prescribed me the tincture of time for sinus infections about 15 years ago. Sure, I grouched about not getting an antibiotic the first couple of times, but have truly appreciated that physician's wise advice ever since.