Screening and Management of Multi-resistant Organisms in Healthcare Facilities Policy
MP 0177/23 - Screening and Management of Multi-resistant Organisms in Healthcare Facilities Policy (pdf 152KB)
Applicable to: This policy is applicable to health service providers except Health Support Services, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, and Quadriplegic Centre.
The Screening and Management of Multi-resistant Organisms in Healthcare Facilities Policy (the policy) outlines the mandatory requirements for the screening and subsequent management of patients identified with a multi-resistant organism (MRO). This incorporates routine screening of certain patient populations being admitted to Western Australian public hospitals and implementation of stringent infection prevention and control precautions for patients identified with an MRO.
This policy ensures early detection, isolation and appropriate antibiotic therapy where required. It ensures a standardised approach for the management of MROs across all public hospitals to reduce the risk of MRO transmission and minimise the risk of patients acquiring a healthcare associated infection with organisms highly resistant to antibiotic treatment.
The MROs covered by this policy include Candida auris, carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumanii complex, carbapenemase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci.
This policy is a mandatory requirement under the Public Health Policy Framework pursuant to section 26(2)(c) of the Health Services Act 2016.
This policy is to be read in conjunction with MP 0134/20 National Safety and Quality Standards Accreditation Policy.
This policy aligns and supports recommendations for health organisations to implement systems to support antimicrobial stewardship including surveillance and management of MROs within the following documents:
Date of effect: 18 April 2023
Policy Framework
Public Health
Screening-and-management-of-multi-resistant-organisms-in-healthcare-facilities-standard (pdf 617KB)
Healthcare Infection Surveillance Western Australia (HISWA) – Surveillance Manual
Guidelines for the screening and management of MRSA in healthcare workers
Guidelines for using the public hospital micro-alert system in Western Australia