The controversy about contact precautions continues. I urge you to check out this post and related commentary, a proper intellectual to-and-fro, in the HAI Controversies Blog.
We eliminated contact precautions for the endemic control of VRE and MRSA at VCU Medical center on April 1st, 2013. NO, this was not an April Fool's joke.
As summarized by my VCU colleague Dr. Mike Edmond:
Here's an update: for this past quarter, hospital-wide (~850-beds) we had 1 device related MRSA infection (a CLABSI), and 2 device-related VRE infections (both CLABSI by current definition, though true source likely gut as both were oncology patients). There were no CAUTIs or VAEs associated with MRSA or VRE. No contact precautions for MRSA or VRE for the last 6 months. Housewide device days for the quarter were: urinary cath 11,807, central line 19,610, ventilator 3,431, total device days 34,848.
Here is our perspective on contact precautions, as summarized in Current Infectious Diseases Reports.
Have a fine weekend.
