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MRSA

MRSA

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are mostly preventable but thousands of Americans die every year from them and many more suffer needlessly because hospitals fail to protect patients from being exposed to these dangerous superbugs.

Click here for State Health Care Acquired Infection Reports

Consumers Union Documents

Consumers Union News Releases

  • California Issues Report Detailing Hospital Infection Rates For 2011

    The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a number of reports today updating hospital infection rates for hospitals throughout the state during 2011. All California hospitals are required to publicly report patient infection data as a result of a 2008 state law that aims to encourage hospitals to improve efforts to prevent infections.

  • HHS Announces National Campaign to Improve Patient Safety

    CONSUMERS UNION SAFE PATIENT PROJECT — NEWS RELEASE Please Note: Consumers Union can connect reporters with patients who have suffered from hospital infections and other medical harm. To find out more, contact Michael McCauley at mccami@consumer.org For Immediate Release: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 Contact: Michael McCauley (mccami@consumer.org), 415-902-9537 (cell), 415-431-6747,

  • California Issues Reports on Hospital-Acquired Infections

    The reports provide a first glimpse at Hospital Infection Rates. Consumers Union press release recommending the state work harder to ensure the data is accurate and provided in a format consumers can easily view and understand.

  • Report Finds That Only Half of California Hospital Workers Got Flu Vaccine

    Report Finds That Only Half of California Hospital Workers Got Flu Vaccine

  • Consumers Union Finds Slow Progress on Patient Safety in California

    California Department of Public Health Has Failed to Carry Out Key Requirements of Recent Patient Safety Laws

Blog Posts

News Articles

Research and Reports

  • A Perspective on the Evidence Regarding Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Surveillance (Free Access)
    Source: Journal of Patient Safety (Tuesday August 7, 2012)

    The manuscript on MRSA Surveillance and the not setting of standards which was published in the Journal of Patient Safety is now FREE ACCESS. This article by Health Watch USA tells part of the story of the behind the USA not setting standards for MRSA Surveillance. “The publication in prominent journals of 2 studies, the STAR*ICU Study and the MRSA-Swiss Study, seems to have had a disproportionate impact on health-care policy, which has stymied the widespread adoption of MRSA active surveillance testing in hospitals.” — Journal of Patient Safety, Aug. 2012.

  • CDC: Predicting Risk for Death from MRSA Bacteremia
    Source: CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases (Monday June 25, 2012)

    CDC publishes new study that identifies factors associated with risk of death from MRSA.

  • ResistanceMap: Expanded, Updated, and Interactive

    ResistanceMap – an online tool for visualizing antibiotic resistance from Extending the Cure – launches a second edition today with more bacteria-antibiotic combinations, U.S.-Canada-Europe comparisons of resistance trends, and lots of opportunities to interact with the data.

  • Bedbugs as Vectors for Drug-Resistant Bacteria

    CDC: Bedbugs carrying MRSA and/or VRE may have the potential to act as vectors for transmission. Further studies are needed to characterize the association between S. aureus and bedbugs.

  • Testimony on Healthcare Acquired Infections and Public Reporting

    Presentation by Kevin Kavanagh, MD on Healthcare Acquired Infections and public reporting which was given to the Kentucky Joint Senate and House Committee on Veterans, Millitary Affairs and Public Protection.