MRSA Bloodstream Infections in California Hospitals with Standardized Infection Ratios

California hospitals report annual counts of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections to the state's Department of Public Health. The data includes observed and predicted infection numbers, which are used to calculate a Standardized Infection Ratio for tracking prevention progress against national baselines. Each hospital's performance is assessed with associated 95% confidence intervals and statistical interpretations.

Use Cases

• Analyze hospital-level Standardized Infection Ratio trends to identify facilities with infection rates significantly higher or lower than the national baseline.
• Compare observed MRSA BSI counts against predicted counts to evaluate the effectiveness of infection control programs across different hospitals.
• Track hospital progress toward national HAI reduction goals using the SIR performance measure and incremental targets included in the data.
• Examine the 95% confidence intervals associated with each SIR to assess the statistical significance of reported infection rate differences.

Strengths

• Data is mandated by California Health and Safety Code, ensuring comprehensive reporting from all general acute care hospitals.
• Includes a calculated Standardized Infection Ratio, a key metric for comparing hospital performance to a national baseline.
• Provides statistical interpretation for each SIR, indicating whether infection incidence is 'no different', 'better', or 'worse' than the baseline.
• Annual updates and public reporting support longitudinal tracking of healthcare-associated infection prevention progress.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, column details, and sample data are unavailable, limiting preliminary assessment of dataset scale and structure.
• Data is reported annually, which may not capture more recent intra-year outbreaks or rapid changes in infection rates.
• Analysis relies on the NHSN statistical model for predicted infection counts; understanding this model is a prerequisite for correct interpretation.

Provenance

Source

California Department of Public Health (CDPH), via the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

Collection Method

Mandatory reporting by general acute care hospitals under state law, with data submitted to the CDC's NHSN and downloaded by CDPH.

Time Range

Annual data, with reporting beginning at least by 2016 for SIR metrics.

Freshness

Last updated on 2025-11-23, indicating recent maintenance.

Geography

State of California, covering all reporting general acute care hospitals.