Melanie – My answers in red below. - Larry

Lawrence D Budnick, MD, MPH

Director, Occupational Medicine Service

Associate Professor of Medicine

Rutgers University - New Jersey Medical School

65 Bergen St, GA-167, PO Box 1709, Newark, NJ 07101-1709

tel 973.972.2900

fax 973.972.2904

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email communication may contain private, confidential, or legally privileged information intended for the sole use of the designated and/or duly authorized recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient or have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by email and permanently delete all copies of this email including all attachments without reading them. If you are the intended recipient, secure the contents in a manner that conforms to all applicable state and/or federal requirements related to privacy and confidentiality of such information. Thank you.

From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces@mylist.net] On Behalf Of Swift, Melanie
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2014 1:30 PM
To: MCOH/EH
Subject: [MCOH-EH] MRSA screening of HCW

I am seeking input from people where state/local regulation or institutional policy requires screening HCW for MRSA colonization. (Routine screening, outside of an outbreak investigation scenario.) We are not doing this and are not planning to, but with MRSA being added to the reported HAIs we have an institutional task force looking at all aspects of the issue.

1. What is your facility and state? University Hospital, New Jersey

2. Who requires this (state or local health dept, other regulation, institutional policy)? No requirement.

3. Is screening done at hire or periodically? Not done.

a. If periodically, what interval?

4. Are colonized workers treated? Possibly by PMD

a. Is treatment voluntary? Yes

b. Do HCW continue working during treatment? Yes

c. Do you confirm eradication? No

5. Any anecdotal experience to share? No

Thanks so much,

Melanie

Melanie Swift, MD

Director, Vanderbilt Occupational Health Clinic

http://occupationalhealth.vanderbilt.edu