A focus on MRSA screening
SOUTH PUGET SOUND – Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain one of the most serious — and preventable — complications of surgical care. National evidence consistently shows that approximately 50% of SSIs are preventable when evidence-based practices are applied reliably. When they occur, SSIs are associated with longer lengths of stay, a 2 to 11-fold increase in mortality risk and an estimated additional cost of $20,000–$40,000 per infection, creating substantial burden for patients and the health system.
What we’re seeing locally
In 2025, our service area experienced a notable increase in SSIs:
- St. Peter Hospital: 74 Clinical SSIs in 2025 compared to 62 in 2024
- Centralia Hospital: 23 SSIs in 2025, compared to 16 in 2024
Of particular concern is an uptick in MRSA-associated infections in orthopedic and neurosurgical cases, where prevention strategies are well established.
A clear opportunity: Pre‑op MRSA screening
A focused review of SSI cases at St. Peter identified a consistent gap:
- In 2025, 29 clinical SSIs occurred in patients who met criteria for pre‑op MRSA screening
- 16 of these patients (≈55%) had no MRSA screen performed
- Of those unscreened, 9 (≈56%) were ultimately MRSA positive
Without timely MRSA screening, patients who require vancomycin in addition to standard prophylaxis are not reliably identified, limiting our ability to apply evidence-based prevention.
Why this matters
Current workflows allow MRSA screening to be omitted when three chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) treatments are completed; however, CHG completion is often verified only hours before surgery, leaving insufficient time to obtain results or adjust prophylactic antibiotics. This creates a system level vulnerability in our highest risk cases.
What’s next
Infection Prevention has submitted an SBAR and Epic optimization request to:
- Require MRSA screening for all high risk surgeries, regardless of CHG status
- Automate MRSA/MSSA screening orders at the time high risk procedures are scheduled
- Ensure results are available before anesthesia and surgeon pre‑op review
Physician partnership matters
Your leadership is critical. Reinforcing MRSA screening expectations and incorporating results into preoperative decision making directly reduces preventable harm, mortality risk, and avoidable cost. Together, we can close this gap.
Questions? Contact Priyanka Woodard or Dr. Preeti Kondal with Infection Prevention.
