Health-care Organisation, Hospital-Bed Occupancy, and MRSA.

In December, 2007, the Department of Health for England published a document about hospital organisation, specialty mix, and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). 1 Department of HealthHospital organisation, specialty mix and MRSA. report no 9163. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_081283Date: December, 2007 Google Scholar In England, many health-care-associated infections are caused by MRSA. This fact prompted the government, in 2004, to publish the MRSA bacteraemia episode rate per 1000 patient-bed-days (ie, the MRSA rate) of each National Health Service (NHS) hospital. After specific interventions, these rates have now become more similar between hospitals and somewhat lower than before 2004. 1 Department of HealthHospital organisation, specialty mix and MRSA. report no 9163. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_081283Date: December, 2007 Google Scholar By contrast, the Netherlands and Scandinavia maintain very low levels of meticillin resistance in S aureus, and low levels of antimicrobial resistance in general. 2 EARSSEARSS annual report 2006. http://www.rivm.nl/earss/result/Monitoring_reportsDate: 2007 Google Scholar