New Mexico MRSA Collaborative

In 2008, several New Mexico hospitals joined a statewide methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) collaborative. The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNMHSC) partnered with rural and urban acute care and long-term care facilities in the state to implement this collaborative that was aimed at reducing health care-associated bacteremias caused by MRSA.

MRSA accounts for 50 percent to 60 percent of all S. aureus isolates in local laboratories and causes an estimated 400 bloodstream infections and 113 deaths yearly in the state. Collaborative participants:

• Gathered baseline and post-intervention data on MRSA bacteremias
• Implemented the "MRSA bundle" of interventions
• Provided monthly data to the collaborative organizers on process and outcome measures

The collaborative involved workshops for knowledge sharing and addressed development of community standards of infection control, data collection tools, educational materials for the public and providers, and data analysis. The goal of the collaborative was to decrease the rate of health care-associated MRSA bloodstream infections per 1,000 patient days by 40 percent in the participating facilities over 12 months, which was met.

Access an introductory presentation given on May 13, 2008, to learn more about the collaborative. The presentation addresses these questions:

• What is the clinical and financial impact of MRSA in your facility?
• What are the potential changes in accreditation, regulatory and reimbursement changes around MRSA?
• Why is MRSA a major threat to patient safety?
• What are some of the evidence-based successful methods of MRSA control?
• What are the specific goals of this New Mexico MRSA collaborative?

This project operated under the guidance of an expert steering committee with representatives from the:

• New Mexico Medical Review Association (NMMRA)
• New Mexico Department of Health
• Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology-New Mexico
• Infectious Diseases Society of New Mexico
• New Mexico Medical Society
• New Mexico Hospital Association

The New Mexico MRSA Collaborative was funded through a Patient Safety Grant awarded to UNMHSC from the Cardinal Health Foundation. NMMRA, in conjunction with its Quality Improvement Organization MRSA-related activities, was contracted to carry out administrative functions of the collaborative, organize and facilitate workshops, provide educational materials, arrange site visits, and collect data. For more information, contact Anne Timmins, NMMRA project coordinator, at (505) 998-9754.

The Cardinal Health Patient Safety Grant Program is designed to provide funding for programs that propose imaginative strategies to address challenges to quality health care. The goal is to promote creative thinking, therefore advancing innovation and improvement to patient care in general.

New Mexico MRSA Collaborative Resources

Other Useful MRSA Resources