Antibiotic resistance is of growing importance to the Canadian health care system due to the morbidity, mortality, and financial costs of certain pathogens for which there are limited therapeutic options. Among the resistant organisms, the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus species (MRSS) is rising and is posing an increasing burden to health care systems. OBJECTIVE: To characterize MRSS treatment patterns in patients with complicated and uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). METHODS: Five infectious disease experts from across Canada were interviewed to understand their current treatment practices. The interview responses were used to design a chart review of 100 patients from three acute-care facilities who were hospitalized for a SSTI caused by MRSS. RESULTS: Approximately 60-100% of SSTIs caused by MRSS are currently being treated with vancomycin and, in the majority of these patients, the entire treatment course (approximately 5-28 days) is received via IV infusion. Other therapies included fusidic acid and clindamycin. In all cases, IV therapy is initiated in hospital, although approximately 20-60% of patients are eventually able to be discharged to complete their IV therapy with the assistance of home care. Additional data collected in the survey include duration of intravenous (IV) therapy, frequency of switch to oral therapy, and length of oral therapy, hospital stay, and home IV care. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the proven economic benefits and wide acceptance of switch therapy, a large portion of patients with SSTIs caused by MRSS are currently completing their entire treatment course via IV infusion. The major reason cited is the lack of an effective oral therapeutic alternative. An oral antibiotic that is effective at treating these types of infections, therefore, represents cost-savings to hospitals by potentially reducing drug administration costs, hospital length of stay due to early discharge, and costs associated with home IV care.