MRSA Screening: Issues to Consider for Implementation; A Report

The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute requests volunteers to serve as subcommittee members for a new voluntary consensus project. The project description and specific qualifications needed are provided below: 

New Project:
MRSA Screening: Issues to Consider for Implementation; A Report

Description:
MRSA has become an urgent public health issue in hospitals and other community settings.  In addition to public awareness, several regulatory initiatives have put the clinical laboratory in a position to facilitate, support or lead efforts to monitor and control the spread.  Laboratories are faced with the implementation of screening, monitoring and reporting in an environment of overwhelming and sometimes conflicting information.  Technology choices and mixes, resource allocation, and integration of the information are at issue.  This report will introduce the issues laboratories should consider for implementation and consolidate evidence based recommendations.  It will describe the epidemiologic, scientific, and public health aspects of MRSA as well as the impact of resulting policies on health institutions. Evidence-based information on the technological choices and issues for implementation will be presented to assist laboratories that are faced with the prospect of adopting MRSA screening programs for their institution/community.

Specific Expertise/Work Experience Needed:

• Technical experts in the classic culture and molecular methods for infectious diseases and their implementation.
• Representative with knowledge of Regulatory policies and various local and regional policies
• Infectious disease physicians
• Knowledgeable in public health surveillance
• Risk management experts
• Laboratory Directors
• Industry Representatives (manufacturers of selective agar/biochemical tests and manufacturers of molecular assays)
• Professional Society Representation (SHEA, APIC, and IDSA)

The deadline to submit a nomination form, including a curriculum vitae and disclosure of interests form, is 1 December 2007. Send to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, 940 West Valley Road, Suite 1400, Wayne, PA 19087.
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