State regulations governing infection control issues in long-term care.
OBJECTIVE
To examine states' regulations governing infections and infection control in long-term-care institutions.


METHODS
Collection and examination of relevant documents from all of the states, the District of Columbia, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, and Medicare/Medicaid.


METHODS
Rules governing (1) admissions of patients with infections, (2) tuberculin testing of residents, (3) employee health, (4) use of immunizations, (5) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, and (6) infection control were compared.


RESULTS
There were wide variations in states' policies in each of these areas and many were inconsistent with current scientific knowledge.


CONCLUSIONS
Uniform federal standards for long-term care would probably provide a better and more economical way to ensure quality of care in these institutions.
Crossley
K
K
Department of Medicine, St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, Minnesota 55101.
Nelson
L
L
Irvine
P
P
D005161:Facility Regulation and Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000592:standards; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007591:Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; D008484:Medicaid; D006278:Medicare; D016272:Occupational Health; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010343:Patient Admission; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States