MRSA Collaborative
NMHA was proud to partner with the University of New Mexico (UNM) Health Sciences Center, the New Mexico Medical Review Association (NMMRA), the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH), the New Mexico Association of Practitioners in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC-NM), the Infectious Diseases Society of New Mexico, the New Mexico Medical Society, TriCore and SED Laboratories in the New Mexico MRSA Collaborative, a statewide project designed to reduce health care-associated bacteremias caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA).
MRSA and other health care-associated infections continue to be a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and excess health care cost despite concerted infection control efforts. National data show that 3 percent of all non-institutionalized adults over 60 are colonized with MRSA, and 1.5 percent of younger adults.
The MRSA Collaborative, from April 2007 to July 2009, involved 16 acute care hospitals and state facilities from across the state in an initiative to reduce health care-associated MRSA, a strain of bacteria that resists certain antibiotics.
Working together and individually, collaborative participants tested system changes aimed at effective surveillance for MRSA infection and transmission, as well as implementation of MRSA control methods.
The following facilities were involved in the collaborative:
- CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center
- Cibola General Hospital
- Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center
- HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital
- Lovelace Westside Hospital
- Lovelace Women's Hospital
- Memorial Medical Center
- Miners' Colfax Medical Center
- New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute
- New Mexico Rehabilitation Center
- Presbyterian Hospital
- Roosevelt General Hospital
- San Juan Regional Medical Center
- Turquoise Lodge
- University of New Mexico Hospital
- Veteran's Administration (VA) Medical Center
Results
The collaborative met its goal by realizing a 48 percent reduction in the rate of hospital-onset MRSA bloodstream infections over the 12-month period compared to the baseline. In essence, about 17 MRSA cases were avoided as a result of the efforts made by collaborative participants. Most valuable were the process improvements that were made to sustain the gains made through this collaborative.
Participants reported that they:
- Implemented active surveillance testing
- Put into place appropriate MRSA control measures for positive MRSA patients
- Began mechanisms to identify previously infected patients upon admission
- Developed materials for patient and family education
This material was prepared by the New Mexico Medical Review Association (NMMRA) for the New Mexico MRSA Colalborative.
