New ''MRSA Visual Knowledge'' Free Resource Increases Diagnostic Accuracy Among Physicians

Main Category: MRSA / Drug Resistance
Also Included In: Dermatology;  Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 30 Oct 2007 - 7:00 PDT

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Logical Images, Inc. is pleased to announce the availability of "MRSA Visual Knowledge," a free online resource that aids in the identification of MRSA infections. Logical Images is the developer of both VisualDx, the most widely used clinical decision support software installed in over 450 locations, and VisualDxHealth, a unique online consumer health resource. "MRSA Visual Knowledge" is now available here to educate doctors by providing trusted medical images of confirmed MRSA skin infections combined with expert-written clinical information.

Art Papier, MD, Chief Scientific Officer of Logical Images stated, "Skin disease and skin infections are seen every day in every medical office and every hospital. The challenge for physicians is to recognize what is serious and what isn't, and to treat every patient appropriately. With thousands of possible diagnoses, split-second decisions are sometimes made with incomplete information. This means that, often, any red, warm skin rash is treated conservatively with antibiotics, even when the rash isn't infectious and these drugs aren't needed."

"Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) skin infection is currently one of the most important emerging infections facing the public today," stated Noah Craft, MD, PhD, DTM&H, Tropical, International, and Humanitarian Medicine Editor for Logical Images. Dr. Craft continues, "Commonly mistaken for spider bites, under-diagnosis can lead to severe systemic infections, while over-diagnosis can lead to the unnecessary use of antibiotics and potentially worsening patterns of antibiotic resistance."

Logical Images has designed a visual medical guidance system, VisualDx, that helps doctors fine-tune their diagnoses, so they feel more confident they've made the right diagnosis and more comfortable with treatment options that don't add to the unnecessary use of antibiotics. Reducing the over-prescription of antibiotics and assisting doctors to choose the correct antibiotics may ultimately help combat the development of resistant strains of bacteria, such as MRSA.

In response to the immediate need for physicians to access quality, expert MRSA information, Logical Images has launched "MRSA Visual Knowledge," the broadest visual online resource available for the diagnosis of MRSA. The resource's combination of images and expert information, excerpted from VisualDx and developed with the editorial advice of Loren Miller, MD, MPH, Chief Infection Control Officer at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and the principal investigator on several NIH grants examining CA-MRSA transmission patterns, allows the physician to review and evaluate in direct comparison to the patient's presentation and can serve to refresh physicians' training on the diagnosis and treatment of MRSA skin infections. Additionally, Logical Images' online consumer health resource, VisualDxHealth, now highlights MRSA infections, giving consumers access to the same trusted images but with expert information written in a consumer-friendly manner. VisualDxHealth, available at http://www.VisualDxHealth.com, is an excellent education tool for physicians to direct their patients to.

Logical Images has developed the most comprehensive digital medical image library with over 50,000 images including all age ranges and skin types. This extensive collection is the foundation for both the VisualDx professional tool and the VisualDxHealth consumer resource. Both are designed to enhance disease recognition for faster, more accurate decision making and improved patient understanding.

http://www.VisualDxHealth.com

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