This first of two slide presentations from the April 12 webinar includes background from Dr. Jon Lloyd on the Positive Deviance (PD) approach and on his experience in helping to implement a PD initiative focused on MRSA prevention in the acute and long term care facilities of the Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS). Using this approach, the front line staff reduced MRSA infection rates by 50% from July 2005 to December 2006. Yearly MRSA infection rate reductions have continued through 2011. The VAPHS approach to MRSA prevention has been adopted by 153 VA acute care hospitals and over 50 academic and private healthcare systems in the US, Canada, Central and South America. Dr. Lloyd is a retired vascular surgeon and currently a senior advisor to the Positive Deviance Initiative at Tufts University.