Research Description

James A. McKinnell, MD is an infectious disease specialist with specific research interests related to clinical management and prevention of hospital-associated infections. Of particular interest are infections related to vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Carbapenem-resistant gram-negative rods.

Dr. McKinnell has established a research focused on prevention of healthcare-associated infections, particularly multi-drug resistant pathogens, including vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteraciea (CRE). His work relates to hospitals, skilled nursing facilities (SNF), and long term acute care facilities (LTAC). He has conducted agent-based modeling examinations that have lead to understanding epidemiology from not just the hospital setting, but through the healthcare system. He is site Principal Investigator for a large CDC contract, SHIELD-OC. SHIELD OC stands for the Shared Healthcare Intervention to Eliminate Life-threatening Dissemination of MDROs in Orange County. The SHIELD-OC project represents a collaboration of the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the California Department of Public Health, the Orange County Department of Public Health, and the majority of medical centers in Orange County. The purpose of SHIELD-OC is to establish a regional collaborative to prevent invasion of CRE into the network of healthcare facilities in Orange County.

Education

• BA, 1999, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
• MD, 2005, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, NY, NY

Recent and/or Significant Publications