Tests for MRSA that once took St. Luke’s Hospital about 48 hours to perform will now take between two and 24 hours. This early detection will improve the hospital’s patient care, reduce the attending physician’s wait time and increase the safety of hospital visitors and staff.
Made by Roche Laboratories, the LightCycler will allow St. Luke’s to monitor potential MRSA within “at risk” populations, including groups such as nursing home residents and those who have had a recent hospital admission or those who are about to undergo a total joint replacement. The advanced test is a qualitative in-vitro diagnostic test for the direct detection of nasal colonization with MRSA, according to Jody Flynn, St. Luke’s Hospital lab supervisor. The test is designed to aid in the prevention and control of MRSA infections in healthcare settings. It will be performed on patients suspected of possible colonization, using patented real-time technology.
“Earlier detection will reduce the use of isolation precautions in unwarranted cases and, when positive results are returned, allow us to continue to use isolation precautions as needed or to begin decolonization if the patient is undergoing total joint replacement in order to prevent a post operative surgical site infection. Quicker analysis will help to reassure family members and friends of their safety and decrease the possible exposure of visitors, other St. Luke’s patients, or our staff to MRSA,” Rothell said. “Reducing the length of time that our patients are on isolation precautions unnecessarily will better serve our patients and also result in reduced labor and supply costs.”
– article submitted by Jennifer Wilson