Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer Blog

The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin reports that the Illinois Legislature has taken steps to reduce hospital infections. As an Illinois medical malpractice firm we have handled many cases involving MRSA and it is a nasty bug. Steps to limit its spread are long overdue:

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois health care facilities must immediately begin testing patients for a drug-resistant bacterium, under a new law aimed at reducing the spread of infections

Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich signed two bills Monday — both effective immediately — requiring a slew of regulations for health facilities in an effort to control infections such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.

The superbug, spread by touch, generally cannot be treated by common antibiotics and can cause blood infections, pneumonia and other illnesses. MRSA usually thrives in environments, like hospitals, where people have open wounds.

Illinois is one of the first states to require hospitals to test all patients in intensive-care units for MRSA and to confine those with the infection. Health providers also must wash their hands and wear masks and gloves when treating infected patients.