Tracking and Preventing Multidrug Resistance Outbreaks
The Challenge of Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat. In the United States alone, more than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur each year. Over 35,000 people die as a result.
Candida auris, an often-fatal multidrug resistant organism (MDRO), saw a dramatic spike between 2022 and 2023. Moreover, at least 90% of isolates are resistant to at least one antifungal.
In response to this pressing issue, Altarum successfully launched MDROxChange, a data exchange for the Orange County (CA) Health Care Agency’s Public Health Services. The platform is now operational and ready to onboard more providers, marking a significant milestone in our mission to enhance public health surveillance and response.
Orange County’s Public Health Services serves a population of 3.2 million.
MDROxChange: A Safeguard for Public Health
MDROxChange is designed to better safeguard public health by minimizing inadvertent exposures to MDROs. It aligns with the goal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Data Modernization Initiative to provide actionable insights faster for decision-making at all levels of public health.
The exchange allows acute care hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and local public health agencies to enter, store, and access data with minimal latency, providing near-real-time updates for patients who test positive for MDROs. Other provider types, including ambulance services, PACE centers, and kidney treatment facilities could also benefit from MDROxChange.
Our team has specialized expertise in healthcare-associated infection (HAI) data exchange, including creating and parsing antimicrobial use and resistance reporting requirements for the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network. We leveraged this knowledge to build Orange County’s MDRO data exchange, which works to reduce infection rates, support efficiency, and improve population health.
Focus Areas
Public Health Information TechnologySupport for Prevention
MDROxChange helps facilities readily identify incoming patients carrying MDROs. This allows them to implement necessary precautions and prevent the spread of these organisms. The data exchange can track new outbreaks and exposure events, securely transmit and receive data in multiple formats, and integrate with other data systems.
These data include patient demographics, facility and laboratory data, case/investigation data, diagnoses, HAI and pathogen data, treatment, and procedures for patients who test positive for MDROs, including C. auris. Such data can show possible transmission within a facility or system, support the implementation of better infection control practices, protect the health of patients and residents, and minimize (or potentially eliminate) inadvertent MDRO exposure.
When facilities know they are dealing with MDRO exposure, their approach can be preventative rather than reactive. And being prepared not only protects the community and care team members—it also makes facilities more efficient, saving time, energy, and money.
Our MDRO data exchange offers a smooth user experience, modern architecture and a scalable security infrastructure. It’s working in Orange County, and it can work in other jurisdictions. It’s built and ready to implement.