A Statewide Program to Improve Management of Suspected Urinary Tract Infection in Long-Term Care.

Background/objectives: Suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common indication for antibiotic use in long-term care (LTC). Due to the high prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria, for which antibiotics are not warranted, these antibiotics are frequently unnecessary. We implemented a collaborative quality improvement program to improve the management of suspected UTI in LTC residents by increasing awareness of current guidelines, with a focus on decreasing treatment in the absence of symptoms.

Notes from the field: rapidly growing nontuberculous Mycobacterium wound infections among medical tourists undergoing cosmetic surgeries in the Dominican Republic--multiple states, March 2013-February 2014.

In August 2013, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (MDHMH) was notified of two persons with rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacterial (RG-NTM) surgical-site infections. Both patients had undergone surgical procedures as medical tourists at the same private surgical clinic (clinic A) in the Dominican Republic the previous month. Within 7 days of returning to the United States, both sought care for symptoms that included surgical wound abscesses, clear fluid drainage, pain, and fever.

Assessment of the burden of mandatory reporting of health care-associated infection using the National Healthcare Safety Network in Massachusetts.

An online survey was sent to 73 facilities in December 2010 to assess the time commitment, staff involvement, and methods used in reporting health care-associated infection (HAI) events through the National Healthcare Safety Network in Massachusetts. Of the 65 respondents, 45% reported electronically importing at least a portion of their data. Facilities that reported using electronic import spent fewer hours per week on data collection and entry than those performing manual data entry.