A new policy is coming into place. ARGGGGGHHHHHHHH. It is around antibiotic resistant bacteria.
What the hell is that you ask? These are the superbugs you have heard about. The bugs that are resistant to antibiotics. There are 3 main types that concern us right now: Methicillin resistant staph aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) and Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (EBSL). Some common theories about their development are overuse of broad spectrum antibiotics, giving antibiotics to livestock. So if your doctor doesn't want to give you an antibiotic for that upper respiratory infection this is why.
Initially these infections started in hospitals but now are becoming more common in the community. Espescially MRSA.
When you go through the triage process in ER we are required to ask you if you have ever had any of these. Most people have no idea what we are talking about. Some people know they have had MRSA. A lot of the time a persons chart is flagged with a information they are positive.
When you have been positive for one of these infections, we have to put you in isolation even if you had it 6 months ago. You are considered a carrier until you have had a couple of cultures free of the bug. Many times people have no follow up cultures, so they remain positive for a long time in our system.
So now, the powers that be have decided that we won't just ask if you have ever had these bugs. If you have had them, we have to order cultures in the emergency room, refer you to infection control, etc. That happens even if you are there for a 1/2" laceration. People will not be happy about this.
It is yet another example of how medical care is so disorganized that no one follows up with people about these problems - so lets dump it on the ER to deal with. I'll just add that to making sure all your meds are correct, asking you if you have had flu symptoms, TB, last tetanus shot, anybody verbally or physically abusing you, have enough money for food, lost weight, etc etc etc that I am supposed to ask you and deal with if you answer yes to any of those questions......
2 comments:
worse on the floors...if you have some remote hx of mrsa or c diff into isolation for your entire hospital stay. No reculture is even done. Love asking people if they've had MRSA...usual response is a blank stare or no should I get it like it's a flu shot.
Sounds like insurance fraud to me if they bill the patient for those cultures when they have something unrelated...
Post a Comment