OBJECTIVES: To describe real-world treatment patterns, healthcare resource use, and opportunities for early switch (ES) from intravenous (IV) to oral antibiotics and early discharge (ED) for patients hospitalized in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) complicated skin and soft-tissue infections (cSSTIs). METHODS: This retrospective observational medical chart review study enrolled physicians from four UAE sites to collect data for 24 total patients with documented MRSA cSSTI, hospitalized between July 2010-June 2011, and discharged alive by July 2011. Data include clinical characteristics and outcomes, hospital length of stay (LOS), MRSA-targeted IV and oral antibiotic use and ES and ED eligibility using literature-based and expert-validated criteria. RESULTS: For all patients, the actual length of MRSA-active treatment was 10.8±7 days, with 9.8±6.6 days of IV therapy, and mean LOS 13.9±9.3 days.  The most frequent initial MRSA-active therapies used were vancomycin (33.3%), linezolid (16.7%), and clindamycin (16.7%). Five patients (20.8%) were switched from IV to oral antibiotics while inpatient.  Eight patients were discharged with MRSA-active antibiotics, with linezolid prescribed most frequently (n=3; 37.5%).  Fifteen patients (62.5%) met ES criteria and potentially could have discontinued IV therapy 8.3±6.0 days sooner.  Eight patients (33.3%) met ED criteria and potentially could have been discharged 10.9±5.8 days earlier. Assuming an average cost of 2,691 dirhams ($575)/bed day in the UAE, the total savings would be 29,332 dirhams ($6,268) in bed-day cost savings realized per ED-eligible patient. CONCLUSIONS: While one fifth of patients were switched from IV to oral antibiotics in the UAE, there were clear opportunities for further optimization of healthcare resources. Over half of UAE patients hospitalized for MRSA cSSTI could be eligible for ES and one-third eligible for ED opportunities, resulting in the potential for a substantial reduction in IV days and bed days.