Join the Program | Surgical Services | AHRQ Safety Program for MRSA Prevention

Learn About Participating


We are recruiting surgical services teams to participate in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Safety Program for MRSA Prevention, a free 18-month program that seeks to reduce surgical site infections (SSIs), with a focus on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Beginning in January 2023, this program combines evidence-based guidance with implementation strategies to address the attitudes, beliefs, culture, and barriers that often pose challenges to optimizing infection prevention practices. This program can help you enhance your infection prevention program and prevent SSIs, including SSIs caused by MRSA, by utilizing evidence-based prevention strategies including chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) treatment (bathing), decolonization, MRSA surveillance, antimicrobial prophylaxis, improvement of hand antisepsis and hand hygiene, and implementation of evidence-based infection prevention bundles.

Participation in this AHRQ program will provide your surgical services with technical assistance, coaching, webinars, and tools to support their infection prevention program.

Benefits of Participation

    - Reduce SSI, with a focus on SSI caused by MRSA 
    - Promote and optimize infection prevention procedures
    - Enhance teamwork and communication around SSI and MRSA prevention
    - Improve patient safety and safety culture

Eligible Teams

We aim to recruit hospital-based surgical services for the following specialties and procedures:
  • Cardiac
    • cardiac valve replacement
    • coronary artery bypass graft
    • surgeries that involve a median sternotomy
  • Neurosurgical
    • spinal fusion
  • Orthopedic
    • hip and knee joint replacement
  • Orthopedic
    • spinal fusion

How Can I Learn More?


For more information about the program, please read our FAQs or register to attend an informational webinar. The webinar recording, transcript, and slides are posted below.

Date

Time (ET)

Registration Link