Use of a Clinical Decision Support Tool to Improve Guideline Adherence for the Treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

Skin and Soft Tissue Infections (SSTI's) with abscess are commonly seen in the Emergency Department (ED) setting. Given the increasing prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus-aureus (MRSA)–related abscesses, appropriate evidence-based decisions are essential in assuring successful treatment. Provider adherence to clinical guidelines for the treatment of SSTI's with presumed MRSA remains inconsistent in terms of prescriptive practice related to antibiotic selection, culturing wounds, and patient discharge recommendations regarding the use of infection control techniques. Evidence indicates that the use of Clinical Decision Support (CDS) tools is valuable in improving provider awareness and adherence to clinical guidelines. This study was conducted to examine whether the development of a CDS tool to guide order entry for the treatment of MRSA-related SSTI's and embed it into the electronic medical record program would improve provider adherence to the North Carolina Consensus Guideline for Management of Suspected Commmunity-Acquired MRSA Skin and Soft Tissue.