[brian]

Illinois will become the first state to screen hospital patients for dangerous drug-resistant staph infections under legislation signed by the governor. The law puts Illinois at the forefront of efforts to battle methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infections, which strike more than 1 million patients and kill tens of thousands of people each year.


Full Story: Screenings for staph are now Illinois law

[Jolie]

It will be interesting to see what impact this law has on patient safety and MRSA infections. Will the end result be development of further drug-resistant strains of bacteria due to increased antibiotic use?

While well-intentioned, I fear that this may cause as many problems as it solves.

[Kidrn911]

Great! I know where I work in Chicago we see alot of community aquired MRSA

[ocankhe]

OK so where are all the community acquired mrsa patients coming from? Are we next going to screen everyone in the community and start wearing masks and gloves everywhere. The bug has already "escaped" into the community and passing on it resistant characteristics to others. We maybe be able to limit in institution spread, and all measures should be taken, but we are never going to eliminate this bug.

[CEG]

Originally Posted by Jolie

It will be interesting to see what impact this law has on patient safety and MRSA infections. Will the end result be development of further drug-resistant strains of bacteria due to increased antibiotic use?

While well-intentioned, I fear that this may cause as many problems as it solves.

[meownsmile]

Right now in my facility only the patients being admitted into ICU are screened. Other patients being admitted to other units are cultured, but only if a draining wound or other need for swab culture is identified. Full swabs, nasel, rectal, oral and any wound with discharge is how they are screened. We have been doing screenings for 6 months. It will make for some further need of private rooms im afraid. Right now we dont have that many and at any given time most of them are occupied by MRSA patients.
The question is are the insurance companies going to give flack about the expense of testing on someone when there is no real dx to warrent the cultures. Someone is going to pay for the tests, are the insurance companies willing to pay for tests and further treatment if the patient is asymptomatic and there was no wound or other issue to warrent that test be done? Will be interesting to see how that plays out.
When is the law coming out that all health care workers need to be screened every so many years so they dont spread it. The whole thing could become a nightmare.

[birdgardner]

Holland brought its hospital-acquired MRSA infection rate way down with universal screening.