bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Implementation of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in Five Colombian Hospitals in 2018
Authors: Pallares Christian , Villegas Botero María Virginia 
Published: November 2020

Background: More than 50% of antibiotics used in hospitals are unnecessary or inappropriate. The antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are coordinated efforts to promote the rational and effective use of antibiotics including appropriate selection, dosage, administration, and duration of therapy. When an ASP integrates infection control strategies, it is possible to decrease the transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens. Methods: In 2018, 5 Colombian hospitals were selected to implement an ASP. Private and public hospitals from different cities were included in the study, ranging from 200 to 700 beds. Our team, consisting of an infectious disease and hospital epidemiologist, visited each hospital to establish the baseline of their ASP program, to define the ASP outcomes according to each hospital’s needs, and to set goals for ASP outcomes in the following 6–12 months. Follow-up was scheduled every 2 months through Skype video conference. The baseline diagnosis or preintervention evaluation was done using a tool adapted from previous reports (ie, international consensus and The Joint Commission international standards). Documentation related to ASPs, such as microbiological profiles, antimicrobial guidelines (AMG) and indicators for the adherence to them as well as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) prevention through protocols, were written and/or updated. Prevention and infection control requirements and protocols were also updated, and cleaning and antiseptic policies were created. Training in rational use of antibiotic, infection control and prevention, and cleaning and disinfection were carried out with the healthcare workers in each institution. Results: Before the intervention, the development of the ASP according to the tool was 27% (range, 5%–47%). The lowest institutional scores were the item related to ASP feedback and reports (11% on average), followed by education and training (14%), defined ASP responsibilities (23%), ASP function according to priorities (26%), and AMR surveillance (27%). After the intervention, the ASP development increased to 57% (range, 39%–81%) in the hospitals. The highest scores achieved were for education and training (90%), surveillance (75%), and the activities of the infection control committee (70%). The items that made the greatest contribution to ASP development were the individual antibiogram, including the bacteria resistance profile, and the development of the AMG based on the local epidemiology in each hospital. Conclusions: The implementation of an ASP should include training and education as well as defining outcomes according to the hospital’s needs. Once the strategy is implemented, follow-up is key to achieving the goals.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Implementation of an Electronic Travel Navigator to Enable "Identify-Isolate-Inform" for Emerging Infectious Diseases
Authors: Sanchez Sarimer , Searle Eileen , Rubins David , Dutta Sayon , Ware Winston , Biddinger Paul , Shenoy Erica 
Published: November 2020

Background: Travel screening can facilitate the identification of patients at risk for emerging infectious diseases, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). A travel navigator with associated decision support through a best practice advisory (BPA) was implemented in an electronic health record to build upon the CDC identify-isolate-inform framework. Compliance with documentation of travel history, symptom screening when appropriate, and isolation of suspect MERS patients were assessed. Methods: Adult and pediatric emergency department encounters at the Massachusetts General Hospital, a 1,035-bed, tertiary-care, academic health center in Boston, Massachusetts, from August 2018 to October 2019, were included. We categorized an encounter as adherent to initial travel screening if providers answered foreign, domestic, or no travel to the screen. Encounters were defined as nonadherent if they were recorded as unknown or if an answer was not selected. Adherence to completion of data entry for the subgroup of patients with documented foreign travel was further assessed for region- and country-level specification, completion of symptom screen, and response to the MERS BPA (Fig. 1). Results: In total, 127,866 encounters were included, of which 105,593 (83%) were adherent to initial travel screening. Among 4,498 encounters with documented foreign travel, 2,970 (66%) specified the region of travel, and 710 (16%) selected a country of travel from the listing. Moreover, 214 encounters had documented travel to the Middle East. Selection of Middle East or 1 of the 13 countries identified by the CDC as at risk for MERS triggered symptom screening for fever and cough, which was performed in 139 encounters (65%). Of these, 95 encounters documented absence of fever and cough, 15 documented fever and cough, 12 documented a cough alone, and 17 documented a fever alone through reporting or obtaining vitals. The MERS BPA was triggered in 37 encounters; 10 patients were ordered for isolation using the BPA. Of these, 4 patients met CDC criteria for a MERS patient under investigation and were tested; all were negative. Conclusions: Initial screening to document foreign travel is completed at a high rate; however, use of the travel navigator to specify region and country, key components necessary to prompt clinicians for symptom screening, are documented in a minority of encounters. Future interventions are needed to improve region and country capture and appropriate symptom screening, with isolation when appropriate.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Implementation of Diagnostic Stewardship Algorithms by Bedside Nurses to Improve Culturing Practices: Factors Associated With Success
Authors: Fabre Valeria , Salinas Alejandra , Pleiss Ashley , Zink Elizabeth , Jones George , Hicks Lauri , Neuhauser Melinda , Srinivasan Arjun , Cosgrove Sara 
Published: November 2020

Background:
Bedside nurses have been recognized as potential antibiotic stewards; however, data on effective ways that nurses can contribute to stewardship activities in acute-care hospitals are scarce. Methods: A nurse-driven urine culture intervention to improve urine culture ordering practices was implemented in a medicine and a neurocritical care unit (NCCU) at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Bedside nurses implemented an algorithm (Fig. 1) developed by the antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) to review the appropriateness of urine culture and to guide discussions with ordering providers regarding unnecessary urine cultures. Nurses received in-person training by an ASP physician champion on how to use the algorithm and education on the definition and indications for evaluation for asymptomatic bacteriuria and urinary tract infections. The ASP physician periodically visited the units to address concerns and questions. In both units, a nurse champion was identified to serve as liaison between the ASP and bedside nurses, and physician support was obtained before the intervention. The pre- and postintervention periods for the medicine unit were September 2017–August 2018 and September 2018–August 2019, respectively. For the NCCU, these periods were September 2018–February 2019 and March 2019–September 2019, respectively. Trends in urine cultures per 100 patient days (PD) were examined with statistical process charts and compared before and after the intervention using a standard incident ratio (IRR) and Poisson regression. Results: In total, 327 urine cultures were collected in the medicine unit and 293 in the NCCU over the study period. Although the intervention led to a significant 34% reduction in the rate of urine cultures on the medicine unit (from 2.3 to 1.5 cultures/100 PD; IRR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.50–0.87; P < .01), the number of urine cultures remained without a significant change in the NCCU (from 4.5 to 3.7 cultures/100 PD; IRR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.65–1.22; P = .48) (Fig. 2). Conclusions: Algorithm-based, nurse-driven review of urine culture indications reduced urine cultures on a medicine unit but not in a neurosciences ICU. Success on the medicine unit may have been driven by highly engaged nurse and physician champions and by patients being able to respond questions about symptoms. The following factors might have impacted results on NCCU: presence of conflicting protocols (eg, panculturing patients every 48 hours per a hypothermia protocol), unit tradition (eg, obtaining cultures to assess treatment response), perception of greater risk benefit in NCCU patients, and unit dynamics (open unit with other primary services placing orders for patients). Unit and team dynamics can affect effective implementation of antimicrobial stewardship interventions by nurses.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Implementation of Rapid Molecular Diagnostic Tests and Antimicrobial Stewardship Involvement in Acute-Care Hospitals
Authors: Kondo Maiko , Simon Matthew , Babady Esther , Loo Angela , Calfee David 
Published: November 2020

Background: In recent years, several rapid molecular diagnostic tests (RMDTs) for infectious diseases diagnostics, such as bloodstream infections (BSIs), have become available for clinical use. The extent to which RMDTs have been adopted and how the results of these tests have been incorporated into clinical care are currently unknown. Methods: We surveyed members of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Research Network to characterize utilization of RMDT in hospitals and antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) involvement in result communication and interpretation. The survey was administered using Qualtrics software, and data were analyzed using Stata and Excel software. Results: Overall, 57 responses were received (response rate, 59%), and 72% were from academic hospitals; 50 hospitals (88%) used at least 1 RMDT for BSI (Fig. 1). The factors most commonly reported to have been important in the decision to adopt RMDT were improvements in antimicrobial usage (82%), clinical outcomes (74%), and laboratory efficiency (52%). Among 7 hospitals that did not use RMDT for BSI, the most common reason was cost of new technology. In 50 hospitals with RMDT for BSI, 54% provided written guidelines for optimization or de-escalation of antimicrobials based upon RMDT results. In 40 hospitals (80%), microbiology laboratories directly notified a healthcare worker of the RMDT results: 70% provided results to a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant; 48% to the ASP team; and 33% to a nurse. Furthermore, 11 hospitals (22%) had neither guidelines nor ASP intervention. In addition, 24 hospitals (48%) reported performing postimplementation evaluation of RMDT impact. Reported findings included reduction in time to antibiotic de-escalation (75%), reduction in length of stay (25%), improved laboratory efficiency (20%), and reduction in mortality and overall costs (12%). Among the 47 hospitals with both RMDT and ASP, 79% reported that the ASP team routinely reviewed blood culture RMDT results, and 53.2% used clinical decision support software to do so. Finally, 53 hospitals (93%) used 1 or more RMDT for non–bloodstream infections (Fig. 1). Fewer than half of hospitals provided written guidelines to assist clinicians in interpreting these RMDT results. Conclusions: RMDTs have been widely adopted by participating hospitals and are associated with positive self-reported clinical, logistic, and financial outcomes. However, nearly 1 in 4 hospitals did not have guidelines or ASP interventions to assist clinicians with optimization of antimicrobial prescribing based on RMDT results for BSI. Also, most hospitals did not have guidelines for RMDT results for non-BSI. These findings suggest that opportunities exist to further enhance the potential benefits of RMDT.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Implementation of Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Gap Analysis and Data Visualization Dashboards to Drive Organizational Change
Authors: Eichelberger Jenna , Zirges Christine , Himelright Madison , Wiskow Cara 
Published: November 2020

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major healthcare quality issue; they lead to increased morbidity and mortality rates. They also prolong the length of stay and increase the cost to the patient and the healthcare system. Depending on the procedure, the risk of death is 2 to 11 times greater for patients with an SSI than for patients without an SSI. Additionally, the financial burden and patient burden is considerable; it ranks as the most common and costly of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and can extend a patient’s length of stay by 11.2 days. The risk of developing an SSI is affected by multiple factors at the patient, operative, and institutional levels. Methods: A Midwestern healthcare system conducted a review of the recommended best-practice guidelines that are currently accepted as the standards of care in US healthcare facilities. A gap analysis instrument for colorectal SSI prevention was drafted and reviewed for content validity and accuracy by field experts. Hospital infection preventionists worked in conjunction with operating room leaders to disseminate the survey to staff. Responses were collected from June 5 to June 30, 2019. Concurrently, the system infection preventionist team developed a standardized SSI dashboard template that could be used at the hospital, regional, and system level to visualize SSI infection counts, standardized infection ratios (SIRs) as well as procedure count data. These dashboard reports are updated and distributed on a monthly basis to each hospital’s campus executive team and other leaders. Federal- and state-required procedures were included and additional procedures were included based on hospital risk. Results: In total, 35 responses were recorded from 8 ministries across the system. Infection preventionists, operating room directors, physicians, nurses, and surgical technologists were represented among the respondents. The following areas were identified areas for improvement: use of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing kit, mechanical bowel preparation with preoperative oral antibiotics, hair removal practices, use of fascial wound protector, maintenance of patients’ blood glucose levels, glove and gown changing procedures, and use of antimicrobial-coated sutures. The development and distribution of the SSI dashboard increased awareness and knowledge of SSIs by hospital and system-level leaders. Conclusions: The implementation of both the gap analysis and dashboard reports improved the awareness areas needed for improvement and knowledge of the burden of SSIs. These findings will drive discussions within the hospitals and at the system-level to implement evidence-based practice to improve care and decrease infections as well as guide the development of SSI patient care bundles.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Improvement of Infection Prevention and Control Practices Using Quality Improvement Approach in Two Model Hospitals in Kenya
Authors: Kihungi Loyce , Ndinda Mary , Dolan Samantha , Wesangula Evelyn , Ndegwa Linus , Owiso George , Lynch John , Frisbie Lauren , Rabinowitz Peter 
Published: November 2020

Background:
Little is known about how best to implement infection prevention and control programs in low-resource settings. The quality improvement approach using plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles provides a framework for data-driven infection prevention and control implementation. We used quality improvement techniques and training to improve infection prevention and control practices in 2 model hospitals in Kenya. Methods: The 2 hospitals were chosen by the Kenya Ministry of Health for capacity building on infection prevention and control. At each site, the project team (the University of Washington International Training for Education and Training in Health, Ministry of Health, and Centers for Disease Control) conducted infection prevention and control training to infection prevention and control committee members. Infection prevention and control quality improvement activities were introduced in a staggered manner, focusing on hand hygiene and waste management practices. For hand hygiene, the project team’s technical assistance focused on facility hand hygiene infrastructure, hand hygiene practice adherence, hand hygiene supply quantification, and monitoring and evaluation using WHO hand hygiene audit tools. Waste management technical assistance focused on availability of policy, guidelines, equipment and supplies, waste segregation, waste quantification, and monitoring and evaluation using a data collection tool customized based on previously published tools. Regular interactive video conference sessions between the project team and the sites that included didactic sessions and sharing of data provided ongoing mentorship and feedback on quality improvement implementation, data interpretation, and data use. Results: Hand hygiene data collection began in April 2018. In hospital A, hand hygiene compliance increased from a baseline of 3% to 51% over 9 months. In Hospital B, hand hygiene compliance rates increased from 23% at baseline to 44% after 9 months. Waste management data collection began in November 2018. At hospital A, waste segregation compliance scores increased from 73% at baseline to 80% over 6 months, whereas hospital B, waste segregation compliance went from 44% to 80% over 6 months. Conclusions: A quality improvement approach appears to be a feasible means of infection prevention and control program strengthening in low resource settings.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Improving Surveillance of Pneumonia in Nursing Homes
Authors: Rowe Theresa , Eure Taniece , Stone Nimalie , Thompson Nicola , Anttila Angela , Dumyati Ghinwa , Epson Erin , Felsen Christina B. , Frank Linda , Godine Deborah , Kainer Marion , Nadle Joelle , Ray Susan , Shrum Sarah , Sievers Marla , Krithika Srinivasan , Zhang Alexia , Bell Jeneita 
Published: November 2020

Background: Pneumonia (PNA) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among nursing home residents. The McGeer surveillance definitions were revised in 2012 to help NHs better monitor infections for quality improvement purposes. However, the concordance between surveillance definitions and clinically diagnosed PNA has not been well studied. Our objectives were to identify nursing home residents who met the revised McGeer PNA definition, to compare them with residents with clinician documented PNA, and determine whether modifications to the surveillance criteria could increase concordance. Methods: We analyzed respiratory tract infection (RTI) data from 161 nursing homes in 10 states that participated in a 1-day healthcare-associated infection point-prevalence survey in 2017. Trained surveillance officers from the CDC Emerging Infections Program collected data on residents with clinician documentation, signs, symptoms, and diagnostic testing potentially indicating an RTI. Clinician-documented pneumonia was defined as any resident with a diagnosis of pneumonia identified in the medical chart. We identified the proportion of residents with clinician documented PNA who met the revised McGeer PNA definition. We evaluated the criteria reported to develop 3 modified PNA surveillance definitions (Box), and we compared them to residents with clinician documented PNA.Results: Among the 15,296 NH residents surveyed, 353 (2%) had >1 signs and/or symptoms potentially indicating RTI. Among the 353 residents, the average age was 76 years, 105 (30%) were admitted to postacute care or rehabilitation, and 108 (31%) had clinician-documented PNA. Among those with PNA, 28 (26%) met the Revised McGeer definition. Among 81 residents who did not meet the definition, 39 (48%) were missing the chest x-ray requirement, and among the remaining 42, only 3 (7%) met the constitutional criteria requirement (Fig. 1). Modification of the constitutional criteria requirement increased the detection of clinically documented PNA from 28 (26%) to 36 (33%) using modified definition 1; to 51 (47%) for modified definition 2; and to 55 (51%) for modified definition 3. Conclusions: Tracking PNA among nursing home residents using a standard definition is essential to improving detection and, therefore, informing prevention efforts. Modifying the PNA criteria increased the identification of clinically diagnosed PNA. Better concordance with clinically diagnosed PNA may improve provider acceptance and adoption of the surveillance definition, but additional research is needed to test its validity.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None
Incidence Rate and Risk Factors for Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection in Pediatric At-Risk Groups
Authors: Mouajou Verinsa , Baldassarre Lucila 
Published: November 2020

Background: Recurrence rates and risk factors of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) are well established in adults, though little is known about the rate of recurrent CDI (rCDI) within the pediatric population. The purpose of this study was to identify rates and risk factors of rCDI in pediatric at-risk groups to guide the optimization of targeted prevention efforts against disease recurrence. Methods: We report on the ongoing retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients at the CHU Sainte-Justine with a laboratory confirmed diagnosis of CDI between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2017. Incidence rates of rCDI were obtained per 100 cases. Frequencies of rCDI were compared using the Fisher exact test. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify risk factors for rCDI. Two-tailed P < .05 was considered significant. All statistical calculations were performed using R version 3.5.2 software. Results: Of 80 patients analyzed with CDI, 16 had rCDI, for a rCDI rate in this population of 20%. Most recurrences were observed in secondarily immunosuppressed patients including, but not limited to, oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy (30.4%) and patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, 29.2%). Patients that were administered vancomycin orally (PO) had recurrent infection less often than patients that administered metronidazole PO or IV (8.3% vs 23.4%, respectively). This trend was observed in all at-risk patient groups. Patients with secondary immunodeficiency had 7.4 times increased odds of recurrence compared to nonimmunodeficient patients (adjusted OR, 7.43,; 95% CI, 1.84–50.4; P = .0126). Conclusions: Initial vancomycin PO therapy seems to be associated with a lower risk of recurrence. Pediatric patients with IBD and with secondary immunodeficiency are at increased risk of rCDI. Given that these populations have an increased underlying risk of diarrhea, it would be worthwhile to determine whether toxin is actually produced (EIA testing) and to prioritize prevention efforts.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None