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Candida auris discharge tracking is in effect for the below facilities. OC is not currently doing discharge tracking for any facilities within OC's borders. Since the last distribution of this announcement, San Bernardino added one sub-acute unit. There have been no changes to the lists for Orange, LA, Long Beach, or Riverside.

Los Angeles facilities:
  • Kindred HospitalBaldwin Park
  • Kindred HospitalLa Mirada
  • Kindred Hospital Los Angeles
  • Kindred HospitalParamount
  • Kindred HospitalSan Gabriel Valley

Long Beach Facilities
  • Regency Oaks Post Acute

San Bernardino Facilities
  • Kindred HospitalOntario
  • Kindred HospitalRancho
  • Cedar Mountain Post Acute (SAU) *new

Riverside Facilities
  • Kindred HospitalRiverside

Note that this update is intended to inform healthcare staff as to which facilities’ admissions should be monitored. This list is meant for internal use only.

Communication between healthcare facilities:
 
Communicating the MDRO status of patients between healthcare facilities continues to be an issue in Orange County. We have witnessed multiple lapses in communication regarding transfer of C. auris colonized patients. All MDROs should be clearly communicated between facilities, especially when patients are colonized with unusual organisms like Candida auris.

  • Inter-facility transfer forms or equivalent communication should be used any time patients colonized or infected with MDROs are transferred between healthcare facilities. Your facility may choose to use OCHCA's Infection Control Transfer Form, which is available online here.

  • It is recommended that if your facility is transferring a patient who is known to be colonized or infected with Candida auris that your staff make a call to the receiving facility to make sure they are aware of the patient’s status.


Recommendations According to Facility Type
To arrange for screening of patients, contact Arlene Marten at (714) 834-7758, or amarten@ochca.com. For other questions regarding Candida auris, please email HAI_Epi@ochca.com.

In all settings:
  • Practice good hand hygiene. (note: alcohol based hand sanitizers are effective against C. auris)
  • Periodic audits of both healthcare and EVS staff are recommended by OCHCA, and there are tools to help you complete these audits available upon request.
  • Cleaning agents effective against C. auris include those on List P (registered with the EPA with claims against C. auris), bleach, or agents on List K.

For more information about C. auris, please see the following links:

Thanks,

Matt Zahn, MD
Medical Director, Communicable Disease Control
Orange County Health Care Agency