Detection, Education, Research and Decolonization Without Isolation in Long-term Care Facilities

The primary endpoint will be measuring the reduction in MRSA colonization prevalence (percentage rate) in the intervention arm as compared to the control arm. One secondary endpoint is to compare the rate of MRSA disease (number of infections per 1,000 patients and 10,000 patient days) in the intervention and control arms. The other secondary endpoint is to determine the cost of MRSA screening and decolonization and compare it to the cost of MRSA disease treatment (both medication cost and the expense of any needed hospitalization for therapy of MRSA infection therapy) in the control arm. Achieving our primary goal of MRSA control will also demonstrate two secondary goals wthe investigators aim to achieve: one being that a scientific, planned approach to the issue of specific healthcare-associated infection in LTCFs can resolve these problems and the other that a partnership between acute and long-term care (e.g., ongoing relationship spanning at least 5 years) is beneficial in dealing with patient safety and quality practices across the United Sates Healthcare continuum.

Inclusion criteria

• All patients in 18 LTCF nursing units randomly selected as intervention or control units

Exclusion criteria

• Patients that choose not to be included in the program