Nursing homes in California and Illinois are washing patients with a special soap to battle antibiotic-resistant superbugs, according to an article on the NPR website.
The new strategy, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is being tested at 50 facilities. The antimicrobial soap chlorhexidine has been shown to reduce infections when patients bathe with it.
At least 2 million people in the U.S. become infected with an antibiotic-resistant bacteria every year. About 23,000 die, according to the CDC.
While the bathing tests are being done only in nursing homes, the results affect hospitals, too, because nursing home patients are often sent back to hospitals because of infections. The program in Illinois also includes a campaign to promote hand-washing and increased communication among hospitals about which patients carry the drug-resistant organisms.
Streamlined Integrated Project Delivery Tackles Design Challenges
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Central Florida - Sumter County Opens
Rudolph and Sletten Awarded $960M for New UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital
How Designers Create Welcoming Senior Care Communities
Data-Driven Decisions: How Analytics Are Shaping Healthcare Facility Planning