August 30, 2006

Dear Colleagues,

Reducing the spread of drug-resistant infections within hospitals has become one of the greatest challenges to health care facilities today. Of the 2 million cases of hospital-acquired infections per year in the United States, 1.3 million involve bacteria that are resistant to at least one antibiotic. MRSA—methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus—is the most common culprit in these cases.

No one goes to the hospital to get sicker, but that’s what sometimes happens.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital is about to begin an exciting campaign to combat MRSA here, and our success depends on your participation. The opportunity to get involved begins Sept. 6-7, when the Hospital hosts a kick-off conference for the initiative. You will learn more about MRSA, hear stories from colleagues whose lives have been affected by it, and brainstorm on ways to reduce infections. You will also learn about “positive deviance,” a problem-solving approach espoused by our partners in this effort, the Plexus Institute.
           
We encourage you to participate in this worthwhile initiative. To learn more and view a schedule of events, visit www.hopkinsmedicine.org/HEIC.

Sincerely yours,

Ronald R. Peterson
President, The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Judy A. Reitz
Executive Vice President/COO, The Johns Hopkins Hospital