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Kentucky Patient Health Advocate And Hospital Association Reacts To CDC Report On Infections

A new report released by the Centers for Disease Control shows the ongoing need to be vigilant when it comes to treating staph infections.  A Kentucky health advocate and representatives from the hospital industry say the issue needs a closer look.

Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, the founder of Health Watch USA says improvements have come in addressing MRSA, particularly within the VA medical system.  But, the Somerset physician says a consistent death rate is concerning. “The most disturbing thing in the report to me is that the projected national death rate of 20,000 has not changed much since 2005,” says Kavanagh.

Kavanagh says screening hospital patients for MRSA and de-colonizing or special bathing and medication to reduce germs in carriers needs to be more widespread.  He says a better national tracking system for MRSA is needed.

Veteran nurse Deb Campbell with the Kentucky Hospital Association says the fact that deaths haven’t increased is worth noting, with so much more MRSA out there. “Logic would tell you that as MRSA becomes more common in the community, the risk of it being in the hospital is, of course, higher,” says Campbell.

Campbell says preventive steps include hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, screening patients at admission, and personal protective equipment.

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