scholarly journals Healthcare-associated infections: getting the balance right in safety and quality v. public reporting

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett G. Mitchell ◽  
Anne Gardner ◽  
Alistair McGregor

Healthcare settings are dangerous places. For those receiving care, the risk of unintended harm from healthcare failures continues to be significant. Given this, there is a need to monitor standards in healthcare, not only to identify potential issues, but also to plan and evaluate interventions aimed at improving healthcare standards. Public reporting of performance standards is one aspect to monitoring standards, but not the only one. Public reporting also brings with it challenges. This perspective explores the recent move to publicly report one healthcare-associated infection (HAI) on the MyHospitals website and comments on the broader issue of using existing HAI data for the purposes of public reporting.

Author(s):  
IV Petrov ◽  
TKh Amirova ◽  
LV Petrova ◽  
FS Petrova

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections are of great socio-economic importance and are characterized by a large number of different pathogens. Nontuberculous mycobacteria are ubiquitous microorganisms that can circulate in a medical organization. The purpose of this review of epidemiologic studies was to establish the main features of mycobacteriosis as a healthcare-associated infection, taking into account the significance of the results and the compliance of the reviewed studies with the criteria of evidence-based medicine. Methods: We did a key word search for “nontuberculous mycobacteria”, “healthcare-associated infections”, and “mycobacteriosis” in several electronic bibliographic databases including Web of Science, PubMed, eLIBRARY, and ResearchGate and selected 127 out of 342 search results. Having analyzed the selected articles, we decided to include 34 of them in this study according to the topic of work. We established that nontuberculous mycobacteria can be found in various objects of health facilities, e.g. water supply systems, medical products and equipment. We also found that mycobacterial infection of nosocomial etiology could have various clinical manifestations (arthritis, keratitis, circulatory and skin diseases, etc.) determined by various aspects, such as heterogeneity of the group of nontuberculous mycobacteria, portals of entry (surgical procedures on various organs and systems of the human body, etc.), pathways of exposure and transmission factors. Resistance of nontuberculous mycobacteria to a number of disinfectants is a special question defining the importance of profound research in terms of ensuring sanitary and anti-epidemic (disinfection) safety within health facilities. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that mycobacterial infection can be considered as a healthcare-associated infection requiring an in-depth assessment from various perspectives including a microbiological monitoring of medical objects, statistical accounting of nosocomial infections, and clinical alertness in the diagnosis of mycobacteriosis by attending physicians and bacteriologists, etc.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 904-909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Vock ◽  
Sarah Tschudin-Sutter

AbstractIn the past several decades, the incidence of Klebsiella pneumoniae harboring resistance mechanisms against multiple antibiotic agents has increased on a global scale. We discuss reasons for ongoing transmission of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae in healthcare settings, which has resulted in the successful spread and establishment of this pathogen. It is now one of the most important causes of healthcare-associated infections worldwide.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Hannachi ◽  
A Ben Cheikh ◽  
S Bhiri ◽  
H Ghali ◽  
S Khefacha ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Healthcare -associated infections has become a worldwide public health problem. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of healthcare- associated infections in a university hospital of Tunisia. Methods This was a cohort study conducted in six intensive care units in a university hospital of Tunisia during three months (from august to October 2018). Data was provided from patients’ files. Data entry and analysis was done using SPSS version 22. Multivariate analysis was used in order to identify independent risk factors for healthcare associated infection. Results A total of 202 patients were enrolled in this study. The incidence rate of healthcare-associated infections was 53,96%(109/202). The ratio infection/infected was estimated to 1.65(109/66). The incidence of multi-drug resistant pathogens was 21,28% (43/202). The most common resistant pathogens included pseudomonas aeruginosa resistant to cefdazidime in 13,76%(15/109) followed by those resistant to extended spectrum cephalosporin 11.92% (13/109), followed by carbapenem-resistant acinetobcater baumanii 6,42%(7/109) then by carbapenem resistant pathogens and enterococcus resistant to vancomycin 2.75%(3/109) and finally staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin 2.1%(2/1.83). The multivariate analysis showed that long duration of central line catheterisation (RR = 7.44; 95%CI[2.79-19.82]), tracheotomy(RR = 8.61;95%CI[2.09-35,39]) and length of stay (RR = 1.08; 95%CI[1.04-1.13]) were found as independent risk factors for healthcare -associated infection. Conclusions The emergence of mutli-drug resistant pathogens needs to be deeply studied and effective measures have to be taken in order to detect and prevent transmission of resistant strains and/or their resistance determinants, especially those with phenotypes having the fewest viable treatment options. Key messages The incidence of healthcare associated infection in the intensive care unit was high. Effective measures have to be taken in the intensive care unit to detect and prevent transmission of resistant pathogens.


2020 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenhong Dong ◽  
Na Zhou ◽  
Guijuan Liu ◽  
Li Zhao

Abstract Pulsed-xenon-ultraviolet light (PX-UVL) is increasingly used as a supplemental disinfection method in healthcare settings. We undertook a systematic search of the literature through several databases and conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of PX-UVL in reducing healthcare-associated infections. Eleven studies were included in the systematic review and nine in the meta-analysis. Pooled analysis of seven studies with before-after data indicated a statistically significant reduction of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) rates with the use of the PX-UVL (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.73, 95% CI 0.57–0.94, I2 = 72%, P = 0.01), and four studies reported a reduction of risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections (IRR: 0.79, 95% CI 0.64–0.98, I2 = 35%, P = 0.03). However, a further four trials found no significant reduction in vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection rates (IRR: 0.80, 95% CI 0.63–1.01, I2 = 60%, P = 0.06). The results for CDI and MRSA proved unstable on sensitivity analysis. Meta-regression analysis did not demonstrate any influence of study duration or intervention duration on CDI rates. We conclude that the use of PX-UVL, in addition to standard disinfection protocols, may help to reduce the incidence of CDI and MRSA but not VRE infection rates. However, the quality of evidence is not high, with unstable results and wide confidence intervals, and further high-quality studies are required to supplement the current evidence.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 358-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymund B. Dantes ◽  
Clare Rock ◽  
Aaron M. Milstone ◽  
Jesse T. Jacob ◽  
Sheri Chernetsky-Tejedor ◽  
...  

AbstractHospital-onset bacteremia and fungemia (HOB), a potential measure of healthcare-associated infections, was evaluated in a pilot study among 60 patients across 3 hospitals. Two-thirds of all HOB events and half of nonskin commensal HOB events were judged as potentially preventable. Follow-up studies are needed to further develop this measure.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moti Tolera ◽  
Dadi Marami ◽  
Degu Abate ◽  
Merga Dheresa

Background. Healthcare-associated infection is a major public health problem, in terms of mortality, morbidity, and costs. Majorities of the cause of these infections were preventable. Understanding the potential risk factors is important to reduce the impact of these avoidable infections. The study was aimed to identify factors associated with healthcare-associated infections among patients admitted at Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, Harar, Eastern Ethiopia. Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 433 patients over a period of five months at Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from a patient admitted for 48 hours and above in the four wards (surgical, medical, obstetrics/gynecology, and pediatrics) using a structured questionnaire. A multivariate logistic regression model was applied to identify predictors of healthcare-associated infections. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. Fifty-four (13.7%) patients had a history of a previous admission. The median length of hospital stay was 6.1 days. Forty-six (11.7%) participants reported comorbid conditions. Ninety-six (24.4%) participants underwent surgical procedures. The overall prevalence of healthcare-associated infection was 29 (7.4%, 95% CI: 5.2–10.6). Cigarette smoking (AOR: 5.18, 95% CI: 2.15–20.47), staying in the hospital for more than 4 days (AOR: 4.29, 95% CI: 2.31–6.15), and undergoing invasive procedures (AOR: 3.58, 95% CI: 1.11–7.52) increase the odds of acquiring healthcare-associated infections. Conclusion. The cumulative prevalence of healthcare-associated infections in this study was comparable with similar studies conducted in developing countries. Cigarette smoking, staying in the hospital for more than 4 days, and undergoing invasive procedures increase the odds of healthcare-associated infections. These factors should be considered in the infection prevention and control program of the hospital.


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 79-83
Author(s):  
N. I. Briko ◽  
O. V. Kovalishena ◽  
R. V. Polibin

The article presents the results of the activities of the National Association of Specialists for the Control of Healthcare -Associated Infections of ensuring epidemiological safety of medical care. Educational projects, development and the statement of federal clinical guidelines, participation in development of criteria of an assessment of epidemiological safety and audit of the healthcare settings for system of ensuring quality and safety of medical care are discussed. Priority tasks to safety of patients and the medical staff, assistance in improving immunization programs and the National Schedule of preventive vaccinations, transition to new risk-to the focused strategy of an epidemiological surveillance and prevention of infections in the healthcare settings are defined.


2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (suppl 5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eliézer Farias de Mello ◽  
Bárbara Alessandra Tibério ◽  
Mitzy Tannia Reichembach ◽  
Letícia Pontes

ABSTRACT Objective: to describe the development of a website about the main healthcare-associated infections and the respective bundles to prevent these diseases, oriented toward intensive care unit nursing. Methods: experience report describing the development of technological innovation by nurses, using computational tools and technological production methodological research and following the product development process. Results: nurses developed an educational website which can be accessed through computers, tablets, and smartphones at the electronic address irastis.com and focuses on healthcare-associated infections. Final considerations: digital technologies have contributed to fulfill demands in health care, research, and education. The developed website has the potential to support reduction in healthcare-associated infection rates, since it makes preventive measures for these infections available and refers users to publication environments that systematize the implementation of the bundles.


2019 ◽  
Vol 266 ◽  
pp. 06011

Within a healthcare facility, surface directly correlates with the existing healthcare programme, as it allows the programme to perform in the space. In particular, this surface-programme relationship contributes towards the occurrence of disease transmission as contaminated surfaces have a significant impact on infection potential when healthcare staffs or patients come into contact with these surfaces. This paper presents a preliminary study that explores the spatial layout of a particular healthcare waiting area setting. The surface-programme relationship is analysed to reveal the potential of contact between surface and users. The results of observation and analysis indicated critical areas in the layout where hand hygiene practice becomes essential. It provides a recommendation on how hand hygiene could be promoted through the spatial configuration to prevent the possibility of infection. Overall, this paper gives a new perspective and a better understanding of how to respond to the healthcare-associated infection generally and the industrial demand on technological advancement in healthcare settings specifically.


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