scholarly journals Implementation of an Emergency Department Sepsis Bundle and System Redesign: A Process Improvement Initiative

CJEM ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara McColl ◽  
Mathieu Gatien ◽  
Lisa Calder ◽  
Krishan Yadav ◽  
Ryan Tam ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundIn 2008–2009, the Canadian Institute for Health Information reported over 30,000 cases of sepsis hospitalizations in Canada, an increase of almost 4,000 from 2005. Mortality rates from severe sepsis and septic shock continue to remain greater than 30% in Canada and are significantly higher than other critical conditions treated in the emergency department (ED). Our group formed a multidisciplinary sepsis committee, conducted an ED process of care analysis, and developed a quality improvement protocol. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of this sepsis management bundle on patient mortality.MethodsThis before and after study was conducted in two large Canadian tertiary care EDs and included adult patients with suspected severe infection that met at least two systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria. We studied the implementation of a sepsis bundle including triage flagging, RN medical directive, education campaign, and a modified sepsis protocol. The primary outcomes were 30-day all-cause mortality and sepsis protocol use.ResultsWe included a total of 167 and 185 patients in the pre- and post-intervention analysis, respectively. Compared to the pre-intervention group, mortality was significantly lower in the post-intervention group (30.7% versus 17.3%; absolute difference, 13.4%; 95% CI 9.8–17.0; p=0.006). There was also a higher rate of sepsis protocol use in the post-intervention group (20.3% versus 80.5%, absolute difference 60.2%; 95% CI 55.1–65.3; p<0.001). Additionally, we found shorter time-intervals from triage to MD assessment, fluid resuscitation, and antibiotic administration as well as lower rates of vasopressor requirements and ICU admission.InterpretationThe implementation of our multidisciplinary ED sepsis bundle, including improved early identification and protocolized medical care, was associated with improved time to achieve key therapeutic interventions and a reduction in 30-day mortality. Similar low-cost initiatives could be implemented in other EDs to potentially improve outcomes for this high-risk group of patients.

2014 ◽  
Vol 05 (01) ◽  
pp. 299-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Liu ◽  
J. Sperling ◽  
R. Green ◽  
S. Clark ◽  
D. Vawdrey ◽  
...  

SummaryObjective: Based on US. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, New York State enacted legislation in 2010 requiring healthcare providers to offer non-targeted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing to all patients aged 13–64. Three New York City adult emergency departments implemented an electronic alert that required clinicians to document whether an HIV test was offered before discharging a patient. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the electronic alert on HIV testing rates and diagnosis of HIV positive individuals.Methods: During the pre-intervention period (2.5–4 months), an electronic “HIV Testing” order set was available for clinicians to order a test or document a reason for not offering the test (e.g., patient is not conscious). An electronic alert was then added to enforce completion of the order set, effectively preventing ED discharge until an HIV test was offered to the patient. We analyzed data from 79,786 visits, measuring HIV testing and detection rates during the pre-intervention period and during the six months following the implementation of the alert.Results: The percentage of visits where an HIV test was performed increased from 5.4% in the pre-intervention period to 8.7% (p<0.001) after the electronic alert. After the implementation of the electronic alert, there was a 61% increase in HIV tests performed per visit. However, the percentage of patients testing positive per total patients-tested was slightly lower in the post-intervention group than the pre-intervention group (0.48% vs. 0.55%), but this was not significant. The number of patients-testing positive per total-patient visit was higher in the post-intervention group (0.04% vs. 0.03%).Conclusions: An electronic alert which enforced non-targeted screening was effective at increasing HIV testing rates but did not significantly increase the detection of persons living with HIV. The impact of this electronic alert on healthcare costs and quality of care merits further examination.Citation: Schnall R, Liu N, Sperling J, Green R, Clark S, Vawdrey D. An electronic alert for HIV screening in the emergency department increases screening but not the diagnosis of HIV. Appl Clin Inf 2014; 5: 299–312 http://dx.doi.org/10.4338/ACI-2013-09-RA-0075


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S663-S663
Author(s):  
Merlin Moni ◽  
Vidya Menon ◽  
Sangita Sudhir ◽  
Dipu T.S. ◽  
Jeslyn Philip ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In India, Candida bloodstream infections have a reported incidence of 1–12 per 1,000 admissions and a mortality rate of up to 60%. Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) can improve quality of care and clinical outcomes. This study evaluates the impact of a comprehensive candidemia ASP bundle in a hospital in southern India with an established stewardship program. Methods A single-center, pre-post quasi-experimental study was conducted at a tertiary-care center in southern India to analyze the impact of an ASP care bundle for the management of adults with candidemia. During the intervention period (October 2017–December 2018), the ASP provided recommendations to providers in accordance with the 2016 IDSA Guidelines for the Management of Candidemia, which included the following bundle: (1) appropriate selection and dosing of antifungal therapy; (2) repeat blood cultures every 48 hours until clearance; (3) removal of central venous catheters and other potential removable foci of infection; (4) echocardiogram; (5) ophthalmologic evaluation; and (6) appropriate duration of therapy. The primary outcome was initiation of appropriate antifungal therapy. Additional clinical outcomes were also compared with a historical cohort. Results One hundred and four patients with candidemia were included: 52 in the pre-intervention and 52 in the post-intervention group. Overall, baseline demographics were similar between the two groups (Table 1). Candida tropicalis (26.9%) and Candida parapsilosis (29.8%) were the most common causes of candidemia in the cohort. Following intervention, administration of appropriate antifungal therapy improved by 40.4% (28.8% pre vs. 69.2% post, P < 0.01). Average time to effective treatment initiation following culture positivity decreased from 57.6 hours to 12 hours in the post-intervention group (P < 0.01). Thirty-day all-cause mortality was similar between the two groups (34.6% 38.4%, P = 0.84). Conclusion Implementation of a comprehensive candidemia care bundle by the ASP significantly improved the use and timing of initiation of appropriate antifungal therapy. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-114
Author(s):  
Dr. Makarand Dharma ◽  
Dr. Sachin Vahadane ◽  
Dr. Shreya Bhate ◽  
Dr. Abhijit Shinde

Introduction: Antibiotics are a class of natural and synthetic compounds that inhibit the growth of or kill other microorganisms. Overuse of antibiotic is one of the most important factors for the development and spread of resistance in the hospital, as well as in the community. Present study was designed to describe antibiotic use in children and to assess the impact of an educational intervention on antibiotic prescription. Methods: The present study was conducted in pediatric ward of a tertiary care institute. The study population included two groups of children – each having 250 children. The first group consisted of 250 consecutive children admitted in one unit of the pediatric ward and they were analyzed for antibiotic use without any prior priming of the members of the unit regarding rationality of antibiotic use. This was followed by an intervention in the form of a 3hour workshop for all members of the unit. The second group included another 250 children consecutively admitted in the wards after this intervention. Results: In Pre intervention group 55 (44%) children received antibiotics in rational way, while in Post intervention group 90(60.40%) children received antibiotic in rational way. One hundred and thirty-six children (49.4%) received antibiotics for respiratory tract infections, this being the commonest disease for which antibiotics were received. As seen in the table, unindicated use of antibiotic was significantly reduced in Post intervention group (p = 0.03). Conclusion: The present study included 500 children. There were 285 (57%) males and 215 (43%) females. Amongst these 500 patients, 178 (35.6%) were below 1 year of age. This group had the highest number of patients. In the Pre intervention group, 55 (44%) children received antibiotics rationally, while in Post intervention group 90(60.40%) children received antibiotic rationally.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S60-S60
Author(s):  
Noor F Zaidan ◽  
Rachel S Britt ◽  
David Reynoso ◽  
R Scott Ferren

Abstract Background Pharmacist-driven protocols for utilization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nares screenings have shown to decrease duration of empiric gram-positive therapy and rates of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with respiratory infections. This study evaluated the impact of a pharmacist-driven MRSA nares screening protocol on duration of vancomycin or linezolid therapy (DT) in respiratory infections. Methods Patients aged 18 years and older with a medication order of vancomycin or linezolid for respiratory indication(s) were included. The MRSA nares screening protocol went into effect in October 2019. The protocol allowed pharmacists to order an MRSA nares polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for included patients, while the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) made therapeutic recommendations for de-escalation of empiric gram-positive coverage based on negative MRSA nares screenings, if clinically appropriate. Data for the pre-intervention group was collected retrospectively for the months of October 2018 to March 2019. The post-intervention group data was collected prospectively for the months of October 2019 to March 2020. Results Ninety-seven patients were evaluated within both the pre-intervention group (n = 50) and post-intervention group (n = 57). Outcomes for DT (38.2 hours vs. 30.9 hours, P = 0.601) and AKI (20% vs. 14%, P = 0.4105) were not different before and after protocol implementation. A subgroup analysis revealed a significant reduction in DT within the pre- and post-MRSA PCR groups (38.2 hours vs. 24.8 hours, P = 0.0065) when pharmacist recommendations for de-escalation were accepted. Conclusion A pharmacist-driven MRSA nares screening protocol did not affect the duration of gram-positive therapy for respiratory indications. However, there was a reduction in DT when pharmacist-driven recommendations were accepted. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S69-S70
Author(s):  
Katie A McCrink ◽  
Kailynn DeRonde ◽  
Adriana Jimenez ◽  
Gemma Rosello ◽  
Yoichiro Natori ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Timely effective therapy in multi-drug resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas (PsA) infections has a direct impact on patient survival. We aimed to determine the impact of diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) on time-to-appropriate therapy (TAP) and clinical outcomes of patients with MDR PsA infections utilizing novel beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors (BL/BLIs). Methods Retrospective cohort study of adult patients with MDR PsA infections at a 1,500-bed University-affiliated public hospital in Miami, Florida who received ≥72 hours of ceftazidime-avibactam (C/A) or ceftolozane-tazobactam (C/T). During the pre-intervention period (12/2017-12/2018), additional susceptibilities for C/A and C/T were performed upon providers’ request. In the post intervention period (01/2019 – 12/2019), we implemented automatic reflex algorithms (Figure 1) for faster identification and susceptibilities for MDR PsA, including carbapenemase producers. Results were communicated in real-time to the AMS team. Figure 1. Reflex Testing Algorithm for MDR Pseudomonas Isolates from Any Source Results Seventy-six patients were included; median age was 56 years (IQR 37.5–67.0), 40 (52.6%) were in an intensive care unit at time of culture collection; median APACHE II score was 20 (IQR 15.0 – 26.0). Three isolates were carbapenemase producers (VIM = 2; KPC = 1). The most common infections were pneumonia (56.6%) and bacteremia (18.4%). We found a significant decrease in median TAP (120.1 [IQR 82.5–164.6] vs 75.9 [IQR 51.3–101.7] hours, p = 0.003). Median time from culture collection to final susceptibility results was shorter in the post-intervention group (122.2 vs 90.5 hours; p &lt; 0.001). Median length-of-stay after culture collection was numerically lower in the post-intervention group (26.0 [11.6–59.4] vs 19.7 [12.9–37.8] days; p = 0.33). Controlling for ICU admission, our intervention was not associated with decreased 30-day inpatient mortality (OR = 1.62, 95% CI 0.45–5.79). Conclusion Our study identified an improvement in TAP in MDR PsA infections with implementation of diagnostic and AMS initiatives. In an adequately powered study, our intervention could potentially impact patient survival through timely initiation of effective therapy with novel BL/BLIs. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S362-S363
Author(s):  
Gaurav Agnihotri ◽  
Alan E Gross ◽  
Minji Seok ◽  
Cheng Yu Yen ◽  
Farah Khan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although it is recommended that an OPAT program should be managed by a formal OPAT team that supports the treating physician, many OPAT programs face challenges in obtaining necessary program staff (i.e nurses or pharmacists) due to limited data examining the impact of a dedicated OPAT team on patient outcomes. Our objective was to compare OPAT-related readmission rates among patients receiving OPAT before and after the implementation of a strengthened OPAT program. Methods This retrospective quasi-experiment compared adult patients discharged on intravenous (IV) antibiotics from the University of Illinois Hospital before and after implementation of programmatic changes to strengthen the OPAT program. Data from our previous study were used as the pre-intervention group (1/1/2012 to 8/1/2013), where only individual infectious disease (ID) physicians coordinated OPAT. Post-intervention (10/1/2017 to 1/1/2019), a dedicated OPAT nurse provided full time support to the treating ID physicians through care coordination, utilization of protocols for lab monitoring and management, and enhanced documentation. Factors associated with readmission for OPAT-related problems at a significance level of p&lt; 0.1 in univariate analysis were eligible for testing in a forward stepwise multinomial logistic regression to identify independent predictors of readmission. Results Demographics, antimicrobial indications, and OPAT administration location of the 428 patients pre- and post-intervention are listed in Table 1. After implementation of the strengthened OPAT program, the readmission rate due to OPAT-related complications decreased from 17.8% (13/73) to 6.5% (23/355) (p=0.001). OPAT-related readmission reasons included: infection recurrence/progression (56%), adverse drug reaction (28%), or line-associated issues (17%). Independent predictors of hospital readmission due to OPAT-related problems are listed in Table 2. Table 1. OPAT Patient Demographics and Factors Pre- and Post-intervention Table 2. Factors independently associated with hospital readmission in OPAT patients Conclusion An OPAT program with dedicated staff at a large academic tertiary care hospital was independently associated with decreased risk for readmission, which provides critical evidence to substantiate additional resources being dedicated to OPAT by health systems in the future. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deirdre Ní Fhloinn ◽  
Ciara Wright ◽  
Sara Naimimohasses ◽  
Stephen Finn ◽  
Suzanne Norris ◽  
...  

AbstractNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a significant public health concern closely linked to obesity, affecting an estimated 25% of adults in Europe. Understudied in Ireland, the aim of this research was to examine the effects of a 12-week multi-component dietary intervention on weight loss and markers of liver injury in Irish NAFLD patients in tertiary care. Biopsy confirmed NAFLD patients (n = 27) were recruited from St James’ Hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Consenting participants underwent a 12-week moderate-intensity intervention incorporating weekly group nutritional education, behavioural change and group support, as well as individualised advice and weigh-ins from a trained nutritionist. Control group participants were given routine clinical care. All participants were clinically reviewed before, immediately after, and 3 months post intervention. Individuals (n = 12) with histological evidence of steatohepatitis underwent a repeat liver biopsy on completion of the intervention. Detailed dietary assessment was performed using both a 4-day diet diary (4DDD) and a novel, recently validated, short food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) designed specifically to assess habitual intakes of food items related to NAFLD. Nutrient intakes were analysed using myFood24TM dietary analysis software, and the Mediterranean diet quality score (MDQS) was used to assess the overall change in dietary patterns. Of the 15 participants who completed the intervention, 80% (n = 12) achieved a weight loss exceeding 5%, with 47% (n = 7) achieving > 7%. There were significant improvements from baseline to week 12 in the intervention group for the majority of clinical parameters including HbA1c (p = 0.0054), liver enzymes (ALT, p = 0.0108; GGT, p = 0.0001) and transient elastography (kPA, p = 0.0308; CAP, p = 0.0081). However, these results failed to maintain significance when analysed compared to controls. The overall dietary pattern was significantly improved after 12 weeks as assessed by the MDQS (p = 0.03), with no apparent compromise in micronutrient intake despite the energy reduction. Reductions in energy, saturated fat, carbohydrate and sugar intakes at 12 weeks, were maintained at three months follow up. Analysis of pre- and post-intervention liver biopsies in the intervention group demonstrated a clinically significant improvement in NAS score (p = 0.0273), attributable to reductions in hepatic steatosis (p = 0.0078). A significant correlation was observed between improvement in liver histology and change in sugar intake (r = 0.7534, p = 0.0093). Although results were somewhat limited by small sample size, nutritional education achieved beneficial dietary changes that persisted after the intervention ceased. Notably, achieving reductions in sugar intakes may be particularly beneficial in reducing the severity of hepatic steatosis in Irish adults with NAFLD.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seema Sachdeva seema sachdeva ◽  
Akshay Kumar Akshay Kumar ◽  
Parveen Aggarwal Parveen Aggarwal

Abstract BackgroundSevere exacerbation of asthma are potentially life-threatening and therefore require prompt care and frequent management. Important elements of early treatment includes recognition of early signs and symptoms of breathing difficulty and timely prescription and administration of therapeutic agents. A subsequent delay in receiving nebulization during an acute exacerbation of asthma can leads to cardiac arrest and even death. AimTo reduce the gap in administration of nebulization from its prescription time among red triaged patients by 50% from its baseline. Setting and designThis interventional study was conducted among red triaged patients in emergency department of tertiary care hospital, India . Material and MethodsBaseline information was collected during first 4 weeks to find gap in administration of nebulization from its prescription time. Fish bone analysis and process map were laid down to analyse the situation. The intervention using targeted bundles was done via 3 PDSA (PDSA1: indenting the nebulizers, PDSA 2: training of doctors and nurses, PDSA 3; introducing equipment checklist) to reduce the gap . A run chart using time series analysis model was used to compare the pre and post intervention nebulization gap. ResultsTotal 74 patients (30 in pre- intervention, 44 in post intervention) admitted in red triaged area were observed for nebulization gap from prescription to administration. Median time for nebulization gap before intervention was 46.5 minutes which reduced to 15 minutes in post intervention phase. ConclusionThis bundles of targeted interventions was successful to reduce the nebulization gap. Key words: nebulization gap, prescription time, administration time


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Leonor Ballester ◽  
Rafael Martínez ◽  
Juan Méndez ◽  
Gloria Miró ◽  
Manel Solsona ◽  
...  

Background: Sepsis diagnosis can be incorrectly associated with the presence of hypotension during an infection, so the detection and management of non-hypotensive sepsis can be delayed. We aimed to evaluate how the presence or absence of hypotension, on admission at the emergency department, affects the initial management and outcomes of patients with community-onset severe sepsis. Methods: Demographic, clinical, laboratory, process of care, and outcome variables were recorded for all patients, at the emergency department of our university hospital, who presented with community-onset severe sepsis, between 1 March and 31 August in three consecutive years. Patient management consisted of standardized bundled care with five measures: Detection, blood cultures and empirical antibiotics, oxygen supplementation and fluid resuscitation (if needed), clinical monitoring, and noradrenalin administration (if needed). We compared all variables between patients who had hypotension (mean arterial pressure <65 mmHg), on admission to the emergency department, and those who did not. Results: We identified 153 episodes (84 (54.5%) men; mean age 73.6 ± 1.2; mean Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score 4.9 ± 2.7, and 41.2% hospital mortality). Hypotension was present on admission to the emergency department in 57 patients (37.2%). Hemodynamic treatment was applied earlier in patients who presented hypotension initially. Antibiotics were administered 48 min later in non-hypotensive sepsis (p = 0.08). A higher proportion of patients without initial hypotension required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) (43.1% for patients initially hypotensive vs. 56.9% in those initially non-hypotensive, p < 0.05). Initial hypotension was not associated with mortality. A delay in door-to-antibiotic administration time was associated with mortality [OR 1.150, 95%CI: 1.043–1.268). Conclusions: Initial management of patients with community-onset severe sepsis differed according to their clinical presentation. Initial hypotension was associated with early hemodynamic management and less ICU requirement. A non-significant delay was observed in the administration of antibiotics to initially non-hypotensive patients. The time of door-to-antibiotic administration was related to mortality.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S654-S654
Author(s):  
Matthew Moffa ◽  
Rawiya Elrufay ◽  
Thomas L Walsh ◽  
Dustin R Carr ◽  
Nathan Shively ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Patients admitted from the community with a suspected central nervous system (CNS) infection require prompt antimicrobial treatment and diagnostic evaluation. Our health network recently implemented a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay in-house. Methods This was a pre-/post-intervention study evaluating the impact that a multiplex PCR assay had on the clinical management of patients ≥18 years of age admitted from the community with a lumbar puncture (LP) performed for a suspected CNS infection. The primary outcome was Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) PCR turnaround time (TAT). Secondary outcomes included inpatient length of stay (LOS), total antimicrobial days of therapy (DOT), and antiviral DOT. Patients were excluded if an LP was performed after hospital day 3, if they were on a systemic antimicrobial for a non-CNS indication, if they were a neurosurgical patient, and if they had a fungal CNS infection. Results The pre- and post-intervention groups each had 57 patients. The average age was 51 and 52 years in the pre- and post-intervention groups, respectively. Four patients (7%) in the pre-intervention group were immunocompromised, compared with 9 (16%) in the post-intervention group. Four patients in the pre-intervention group had a positive PCR assay for either HSV or Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), compared with 5 patients in the post-intervention group. Neither group had a positive cerebrospinal fluid culture, bacterial antigen assay, or bacterial PCR assay. The median (IQR) HSV PCR TAT was significantly longer in the pre-intervention group, 85 (78, 96) vs. 3.9 hours (2.9, 4.7), P < 0.001. The mean LOS was numerically greater in the pre-intervention arm (7 vs. 4.7 days, P = 0.069), as were the total antimicrobial DOT (9 vs. 7.4 days, P = 0.279) and antiviral DOT (3.9 vs. 2.7 days, P = 0.136). Pre-intervention antiviral DOT was significantly greater (3.1 vs. 1.6 days, P = 0.011) in patients without a positive HSV or VZV PCR. Conclusion Implementing a multiplex PCR assay for adults undergoing an LP for a suspected CNS infection significantly reduced the HSV PCR turnaround time. Antiviral DOT was significantly shorter in patients with a negative PCR result post-intervention. We also found a non-significant reduction in LOS, total antimicrobial DOT, and antiviral DOT. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


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