Doctors ‘must be open’ with MRSA patients

DOCTORS must tell patients they have contracted a healthcare-associated infection, such as MRSA, as soon as possible.

One in 10 patients admitted to acute hospitals develop a healthcare-associated infection. Some patients have conditions, such as an immune system that is compromised, leaving them at a greater risk of infection.

The Health Service Executive’s director of public health, Dr Phil Jennings, said it was critical healthcare workers informed affected patients of their condition and the prognosis.

“Information provided about the patient’s infections should be easily understood and given as soon as is practical and feasible,” he said.

Dr Jennings is a member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland’s (RCPI) policy group that published guidelines yesterday on how to advise patients with a healthcare acquired infection.

Chairman of the policy group, Professor Hilary Humphreys, said the position paper aimed to provide guidance on practical steps for all healthcare workers.

Prof Humphreys said patients and patient groups were concerned about the failure of health professionals, including doctors, to inform them about a healthcare-associated infection early or, sometimes, not at all. “Clearly, that is an unsatisfactory state of affairs because a patient has a right to know as soon as possible,” he said.

The document also urges greater communication between healthcare professionals and the importance of having information leaflets to give to patients.

Prof Humphreys said a sense of shame on the part of the hospital or fear of litigation were some reasons why patients were not told in a timely manner.

And, he said, it could have been felt that the infection was minor compared with the patient’s main illness, or the doctor simply forgot to tell the patients.

“Those are explanations, not excuses. I am not justifying them,” he stressed.

Prof Humphreys said the document was based on best practice, both nationally and internationally, and also on common sense.

“Sometimes the message needs to be repeated again and again before it gets through. This issue has been highlighted before and we do need to see progress on it,” he said.

The college hoped that the position paper would be used as a valuable reference point and source of practical, credible and accurate information.

Pro Humphreys said international evidence suggested that the hand hygiene compliance rate was between 60% and 70% but pointed out that the figure needed to be close to 100%.