Postponing elective hospitalizations for pre-admission MRSA screening and decolonization. A study evaluating eligibility and acceptance among patients of a German university hospital

There is evidence that pre-admission screening and decolonization (PreASD) of MRSA can reduce costs in elective surgical patients. It is not known whether this strategy could also be successfully applied to general medical patients of a tertiary referral hospital with multiple specialties. Our study retrospectively evaluates the eligibility of patients for MRSA-PreASD in a setting of active targeted MRSA surveillance. We carried out a survey among eligible patients to assess acceptance and feasibility of MRSA-PreASD. Of 10,496 admissions to our university hospital 8912 (84.9%) were screened for MRSA-risk factors. In 5382 admissions at risk swabs were taken and analyzed. Using the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) we retrospectively assessed how many of the 5382 admissions at risk could have been postponed for the duration of an MRSA-PreASD. 36 (17%) of 212 admissions with proven MRSA colonization and 2175 (42%) of 5170 patients without detectable MRSA could have been sent home for MRSA-PreASD to be electively admitted later. Of the 36 admissions (35 patients) with proven MRSA eligible for PreASD 23 patients (65%) responded to an interview. 22 of those (95.6%) would have agreed to PreASD. Additional costs for a screening protocol adapted to the needs of MRSA-PreASD of 52,061€ were estimated. Additional hospitalization costs of 6100–9300€ per MRSA case in Germany have been published. In our study population the successful pre-admission decolonization of 22 cases (63% of 35 patients eligible) may therefore have saved about 134,000–205,000€. Thus from an economic point of view our concept should be justified.In conclusion a relevant number of affected admissions to our tertiary referral hospital is eligible for an MRSA-PreASD. The majority of patients with proven MRSA-colonization eligible for a pre-admission decolonization treatment would prefer such an approach over being isolated at the hospital. The implementation of an MRSA-PreASD-protocol may reduce costs.