Study finds extensive patient sharing among hospitals; could impact spread of infectiou...(rom acute care facilities are readmitted...),Health

Huang emphasized that the objective of this research is not to change patient behavior but to comprehend the extent of patient sharing and its impact on potential public health responses. "If we better understand the 'traffic patterns' of patients and the interlinking of hospitals, we've added an important component to preventing the spread of disease," said Huang. "In the event of a public health problem, being aware of the extent of patient sharing could give us a better idea of where to intervene first," she added.

This research is particularly important for infectious agents with a substantial incubation period or prolonged carrier state such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), since patients may not exhibit symptoms of these diseases until after they have been discharged from a hospital stay. "We may not know the true value of this work until a specific pathogen is tested within this context," Huang noted.

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