When evaluating the cost-benefit ratio of screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and its impact on the utilization of healthcare resources, there are two meaningful measures providers should consider, according to a study published in American Journal of Clinical Pathology.
Researchers collected admission and discharge nasal swabs from patients, totaling more than 27,000 specimens, using three different commercial real-time polymerase chain reaction MRSA tests. The researchers found the performance of the three commercial tests were fairly similar.
Given the similar performance of all three tests, the researchers suggest healthcare providers consider the cost of the MRSA tests as well as the specificity of the test's results to determine which would be best for the hospital's specific surveillance program.
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