About Me

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Chico, CA, United States
Tom Cullen is the owner of Community Care Options, a California State approved vendor operated by a team of caring professionals with more than 30 years of experience in the field. Community Care Options is dedicated to providing continuing education to administrators of both Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly and Adult Residential Facilities and assist in keeping those facilities compliant with state regulations.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

MRSA in Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly

We frequently get the question of what to do with MRSA in the assisted living. 

Licensing classifies MRSA and other antibiotic resistant bacteria as "Prohibited Health Conditions".  The reason being that elderly individuals usually have weaker immune systems than younger individuals.  As such, it is to be dealt with in a very serious way. 

The RCFE Evaluators Manual (The Blues) says the following"

"If a resident is diagnosed with a methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection, the resident must be relocated elsewhere, such as to an acute care hospital or a skilled nursing facility, until the infection is cleared unless the facility applies for and receives an exception."

To read the entire Section 87615, Prohibited Health Conditions click HERE.  Go to page 108 in the PDF, the section begins near the end of the page.

Guidelines for treatment of MRSA from the Infectious Diseases Society of America - click HERE.