Patient advocates fight for MRSA screenings, report cards

We know that MRSA is a huge problem, but exactly how big? Of late, some patient advocates (many of whom have contracted MRSA themselves) have been fighting to shed more light on this subject.

While 25 states have passed bills requiring hospitals to report infections that patients contract while in the hospital, many of them do not include MRSA specifically. This has led to a veil of secrecy in which hospitals try to find ways not to have to report their MRSA statistics.

As a result, patient advocates are working hard to force hospitals to give out report cards detailing their infection rates, specifically those of MRSA. The patient advocates hope that report cards, and also screenings, will help bring MRSA infections into the light.

To learn more about patient advocacy and MRSA:
- read this Seattle Times piece [1]

Related Articles:
Hospitals fight MRSA infections [2]
Study: Broad testing can slash MRSA rates [3]
VA program slashes MRSA infection rates [4]
Study: MRSA infecting up to 5 percent of patients [5]