Are MRSA active surveillance laws next?
The unrelenting rise of state laws requiring public disclosure of infection rates appears to be sparking legislative interest in other infection control areas. Legislation was introduced earlier this year in Illinois that would require hospitals to screen all patients for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in accordance with guidelines published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “If positive, they are required to inform the patient and offer treatment — the bill doesn’t define what treatment is — and to report all cases to the health department,” said Shannon Oriola, RN, CIC, COHN, chair of the mandatory reporting task force at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). “This legislation is going to be addressed in the fall.” To read the entire story, click here.
