Sharps Injuries among Employees of Acute Care Hospitals in Massachusetts, 2002–2007

Objective.Sharps with engineered sharps injury protections (SESIPs) have been found to reduce risk of sharps injuries (Sis). We examined trends in SI rates among employees of acute care hospitals in Massachusetts, including the impact of SESIPs on SI trends during 2002-2007.Design.Prospective surveillance.Setting.Seventy-six acute care hospitals licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.Participants.Employees of acute care hospitals who reported Sis to their employers.Methods.Data on Sis in acute care hospitals collected by the Massachusetts Sharps Injury Surveillance System were used to examine trends in SI rates over time by occupation, hospital size, and device. Negative binomial regression was used to assess trends.Results.During 2002-2007, 16,158 Sis among employees of 76 acute care hospitals were reported to the surveillance system. The annual SI rate decreased by 22%, with an annual decline of 4.7% (P< .001). Rates declined significantly among nurses (—7.2% per year;P< .001) but not among physicians (—0.9% per year;P= .553). SI rates associated with winged steel needles and hypodermic needles and syringes also declined significantly as the proportion of injuries involving devices with sharps injury prevention features increased during the same time period.Conclusion.SI rates involving devices for which SESIPs are widely available and appear to be increasingly used have declined. The continued use of devices lacking SI protections for which SESIPs are available needs to be addressed. The extent to which injuries involving SESIPs are due to flaws in design or lack of experience and training must be examined.

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The Impact of Multifocused Interventions on Sharps Injury Rates at an Acute-Care Hospital

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1086/501588 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 20 (12) ◽

pp. 806-811 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Robyn R.M. Gershon ◽

Lisa Pearse ◽

Martha Grimes ◽

Patricia A. Flanagan ◽

David Vlahov

Keyword(s):

Incidence Rate ◽

Acute Care ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Injury Rates ◽

Injury Data ◽

Sharps Injury ◽

The Impact ◽

Sharps Injuries

AbstractObjective:To determine the impact of a multifocused interventional program on sharps injury rates.Design:Sharps injury data were collected prospectively over a 9-year period (1990-1998). Pre- and postinterventional rates were compared after the implementation of sharps injury prevention interventions, which consisted of administrative, work-practice, and engineering controls (ie, the introduction of an anti-needlestick intravenous catheter and a new sharps disposal system).Setting:Sharps injury data were collected from healthcare workers employed by a mid-sized, acute-care community hospital.Results:Preinterventional annual sharps injury incidence rates decreased significantly from 82 sharps injuries/1,000 worked full-time-equivalent employees (WFTE) to 24 sharps injuries/1,000 WFTE employees postintervention (P<.0001), representing a 70% decline in incidence rate overall. Over the course of the study, the incidence rate for sharps injuries related to intravenous lines declined by 93%, hollow-bore needlesticks decreased by 75%, and non-hollow-bore injuries decreased by 25%.Conclusion:The implementation of a multifocused interventional program led to a significant and sustained decrease in the overall rate of sharps injuries in hospital-based healthcare workers.

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Association Between Federal Value-Based Incentive Program Implementation and Hospital-Onset C. difficile Infection Rates

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ice.2020.645 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. s133-s133

Author(s):

Mohammad Alrawashdeh ◽

Chanu Rhee ◽

Heather Hsu ◽

Grace Lee

Keyword(s):

Program Implementation ◽

Negative Binomial ◽

Negative Binomial Regression ◽

Neutralization Assay ◽

Nucleic Acid Amplification ◽

Teaching Hospitals ◽

Future Research ◽

Testing Methods ◽

Toxigenic Culture ◽

The Impact

Background: The Hospital-Acquired Conditions Reduction Program (HACRP) and Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) are federal value-based incentive programs that financially reward or penalize hospitals based on quality metrics. Hospital-onset C. difficile infection (HO-CDI) rates reported to the CDC NHSN became a target quality metric for both HACRP and HVBP in October 2016, but the impact of these programs on HO-CDI rates is unknown. Methods: We used an interrupted time-series design to examine the association between HACRP/HVBP implementation in October 2016 and quarterly rates of HO-CDI per 10,000 patient days among incentive-eligible acute-care hospitals conducting facility-wide HO-CDI NHSN surveillance between January 2013 and March 2019. Generalized estimating equations were used to fit negative binomial regression models to assess for immediate program impact (ie, level change) and changes in the slope of HO-CDI rates, controlling for each hospital’s predominant method for CDI testing (nucleic acid amplification including PCR (NAAT), enzyme immunoassay for toxin (EIA), or other testing method including cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay and toxigenic culture). Results: Of the 265 study hospitals studied, most were medium-sized (100–399 beds, 55%), not-for-profit (77%), teaching hospitals (70%), and were located in a metropolitan area (87%). Compared to EIA, rates of HO-CDI were higher when detected by NAAT (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.55; 95% CI, 1.41–1.70) or other testing methods (IRR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.26–1.71). Controlling for CDI testing methods, HACRP/HVBP implementation was associated with an immediate 6% decline in HO-CDI rates (IRR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.89–0.99) and a 4% decline in slope per year-quarter thereafter (IRR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.95–0.97) (Fig. 1). Conclusions: HACRP/HVBP implementation was associated with both immediate and gradual improvements in HO-CDI rates, independent of CDI testing methods of differing sensitivity. Future research may evaluate the precise mechanisms underlying this improvement and if this impact is sustained in the long term.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

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Systemic Determinants in Surgery: Nonclinical Factors Affecting Time to Operation for Incarcerated Ventral Hernias

The American Surgeon ◽

10.1177/00031348211011118 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 000313482110111

Author(s):

David E. Wang ◽

Paul J. Chung ◽

Rafael Barrera ◽

Gene F. Coppa ◽

Antonio E. Alfonso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Operating Room ◽

Negative Binomial ◽

Private Insurance ◽

Negative Binomial Regression ◽

Outcome Variable ◽

Hospital Size ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Binomial Regression ◽

Comorbidity Status ◽

Ventral Hernias

Introduction We explore nonclinical factors affecting the amount of time from admission to the operating room for patients requiring nonelective repair of ventral hernias. Methods Using the 2005-2012 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we identified adult patients with a primary diagnosis of ventral hernia without obstruction/gangrene, who underwent nonelective repair. The outcome variable of interest was time from admission to surgery. We performed univariate and multivariable analyses using negative binomial regression, adjusting for age, sex, race, income, insurance, admission day, comorbidity status (van Walraven score), diagnosis, procedure, hospital size, location/teaching status, and region. Results 7,253 patients met criteria, of which majority were women (n = 4,615) and white (n = 5,394). The majority of patients had private insurance (n = 3,015) followed by Medicare (n = 2,737). Median time to operation was 0 days. Univariate analysis comparing operation <1 day to ≥1 day identified significant differences in race, day of admission, insurance, length of stay, comorbidity status, hospital location, type, and size. Negative binomial regression showed that weekday admission (IRR 4.42, P < .0001), private insurance (IRR 1.53-2.66, P < .0001), rural location (IRR 1.39-1.76, P < .01), small hospital size (IRR 1.26-1.36, P < .05), white race (IRR 1.30-1.34, P < .01), healthier patients (van Walraven score IRR 1.05, P < .0001), and use of mesh (IRR 0.39-0.56, P < .02) were associated with shorter time until procedure. Conclusion Shorter time from admission to the operating room was associated with several nonclinical factors, which suggest disparities may exist. Further prospective studies are warranted to elucidate these disparities affecting patient care.

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The association between a conditional cash transfer programme and malaria incidence: a longitudinal ecological study in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2015

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11255-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Layana Costa Alves ◽

Mauro Niskier Sanchez ◽

Thomas Hone ◽

Luiz Felipe Pinto ◽

Joilda Silva Nery ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fixed Effects ◽

Negative Binomial ◽

Malaria Incidence ◽

Panel Study ◽

Negative Binomial Regression ◽

Brazilian Amazon ◽

Conditional Cash Transfer ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Percentage Point Increase ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Malaria causes 400 thousand deaths worldwide annually. In 2018, 25% (187,693) of the total malaria cases in the Americas were in Brazil, with nearly all (99%) Brazilian cases in the Amazon region. The Bolsa Família Programme (BFP) is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme launched in 2003 to reduce poverty and has led to improvements in health outcomes. CCT programmes may reduce the burden of malaria by alleviating poverty and by promoting access to healthcare, however this relationship is underexplored. This study investigated the association between BFP coverage and malaria incidence in Brazil. Methods A longitudinal panel study was conducted of 807 municipalities in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2015. Negative binomial regression models adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic covariates and time trends were employed with fixed effects specifications. Results A one percentage point increase in municipal BFP coverage was associated with a 0.3% decrease in the incidence of malaria (RR = 0.997; 95% CI = 0.994–0.998). The average municipal BFP coverage increased 24 percentage points over the period 2004–2015 corresponding to be a reduction of 7.2% in the malaria incidence. Conclusions Higher coverage of the BFP was associated with a reduction in the incidence of malaria. CCT programmes should be encouraged in endemic regions for malaria in order to mitigate the impact of disease and poverty itself in these settings.

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The impact of teaching on the duration of common urological operations

Canadian Urological Association Journal ◽

10.5489/cuaj.3737 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 (5-6) ◽

pp. 172 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Blayne Welk ◽

Jennifer Winick-Ng ◽

Andrew McClure ◽

Chris Vinden ◽

Sumit Dave ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radical Prostatectomy ◽

Negative Binomial ◽

Negative Binomial Regression ◽

Potential Effect ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Teaching Hospitals ◽

Operative Duration ◽

Open Radical Prostatectomy ◽

Academic Hospitals ◽

The Impact

Introduction: The ability of academic (teaching) hospitals to offer the same level of efficiency as non-teaching hospitals in a publicly funded healthcare system is unknown. Our objective was to compare the operative duration of general urology procedures between teaching and non-teaching hospitals. Methods: We used administrative data from the province of Ontario to conduct a retrospective cohort study of all adults who underwent a specified elective urology procedure (2002–2013). Primary outcome was duration of surgical procedure. Primary exposure was hospital type (academic or non-teaching). Negative binomial regression was used to adjust relative time estimates for age, comorbidity, obesity, anesthetic, and surgeon and hospital case volume.Results: 114 225 procedures were included (circumcision n=12 280; hydrocelectomy n=7221; open radical prostatectomy n=22 951; transurethral prostatectomy n=56 066; or mid-urethral sling n=15 707). These procedures were performed in an academic hospital in 14.8%, 13.3%, 28.6%, 17.1%, and 21.3% of cases, respectively. The mean operative duration across all procedures was higher in academic centres; the additional operative time ranged from 8.3 minutes (circumcision) to 29.2 minutes (radical prostatectomy). In adjusted analysis, patients treated in academic hospitals were still found to have procedures that were significantly longer (by 10‒21%). These results were similar in sensitivity analyses that accounted for the potential effect of more complex patients being referred to tertiary academic centres.Conclusions: Five common general urology operations take significantly longer to perform in academic hospitals. The reason for this may be due to the combined effect of teaching students and residents or due to inherent systematic inefficiencies within large academic hospitals.

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The Impact of a Massachusetts State-Sponsored Educational Program on Antimicrobial Stewardship in Acute Care Hospitals

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1086/669861 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

pp. 437-439 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Adam Weston ◽

Lauren Epstein ◽

Lisa E. Davidson ◽

Alfred DeMaria ◽

Shira Doron

Keyword(s):

Acute Care ◽

Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽

Educational Program ◽

Business Models ◽

National Level ◽

State Level ◽

Acute Care Hospitals ◽

The State ◽

Team Approach ◽

The Impact

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are critically important for combating the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Despite this, there are no regulatory requirements at a national level, which makes initiatives at the state level critical. The objectives of this study were to identify existing antimicrobial stewardship practices, characterize barriers to antimicrobial stewardship implementation in acute care hospitals throughout Massachusetts, and evaluate the impact on these hospitals of a state-sponsored educational conference on antimicrobial stewardship.In September 2011, a state-sponsored educational program entitled “Building Stewardship: A Team Approach Enhancing Antibiotic Stewardship in Acute Care Hospitals” was offered to interested practitioners from throughout the state. The program consisted of 2 audio conferences, reading materials, and a 1-day conference consisting of lectures focusing on the importance of ASPs, strategies for implementation, improvement strategies for existing programs, and panel discussions highlighting successful practices. Smaller breakout sessions focused on operational issues, including understanding of pharmacodynamics, business models, and electronic surveillance.

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Trends of limb amputation considering type, level, sex and age in Saskatchewan, Canada 2006–2019: an in-depth assessment

Archives of Public Health ◽

10.1186/s13690-021-00759-1 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 80 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Samuel Kwaku Essien ◽

David Kopriva ◽

A. Gary Linassi ◽

Audrey Zucker-Levin

Keyword(s):

Negative Binomial ◽

Negative Binomial Regression ◽

Limb Amputation ◽

Annual Percent Change ◽

Discharge Data ◽

Resident Population ◽

True Incidence ◽

Depth Analysis ◽

The Impact ◽

Extremity Amputation

Abstract Background Most epidemiologic reports focus on lower extremity amputation (LEA) caused specifically by diabetes mellitus. However, narrowing scope disregards the impact of other causes and types of limb amputation (LA) diminishing the true incidence and societal burden. We explored the rates of LEA and upper extremity amputation (UEA) by level of amputation, sex and age over 14 years in Saskatchewan, Canada. Methods We calculated the differential impact of amputation type (LEA or UEA) and level (major or minor) of LA using retrospective linked hospital discharge data and demographic characteristics of all LA performed in Saskatchewan and resident population between 2006 and 2019. Rates were calculated from total yearly cases per yearly Saskatchewan resident population. Joinpoint regression was employed to quantify annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC). Negative binomial regression was performed to determine if LA rates differed over time based on sex and age. Results Incidence of LEA (31.86 ± 2.85 per 100,000) predominated over UEA (5.84 ± 0.49 per 100,000) over the 14-year study period. The overall LEA rate did not change over the study period (AAPC -0.5 [95% CI − 3.8 to 3.0]) but fluctuations were identified. From 2008 to 2017 LEA rates increased (APC 3.15 [95% CI 1.1 to 5.2]) countered by two statistically insignificant periods of decline (2006–2008 and 2017–2019). From 2006 to 2019 the rate of minor LEA steadily increased (AAPC 3.9 [95% CI 2.4 to 5.4]) while major LEA decreased (AAPC -0.6 [95% CI − 2.1 to 5.4]). Fluctuations in the overall LEA rate nearly corresponded with fluctuations in major LEA with one period of rising rates from 2010 to 2017 (APC 4.2 [95% CI 0.9 to 7.6]) countered by two periods of decline 2006–2010 (APC -11.14 [95% CI − 16.4 to − 5.6]) and 2017–2019 (APC -19.49 [95% CI − 33.5 to − 2.5]). Overall UEA and minor UEA rates remained stable from 2006 to 2019 with too few major UEA performed for in-depth analysis. Males were twice as likely to undergo LA than females (RR = 2.2 [95% CI 1.99–2.51]) with no change in rate over the study period. Persons aged 50–74 years and 75+ years were respectively 5.9 (RR = 5.92 [95% Cl 5.39–6.51]) and 10.6 (RR = 10.58 [95% Cl 9.26–12.08]) times more likely to undergo LA than those aged 0–49 years. LA rate increased with increasing age over the study period. Conclusion The rise in the rate of minor LEA with simultaneous decline in the rate of major LEA concomitant with the rise in age of patients experiencing LA may reflect a paradigm shift in the management of diseases that lead to LEA. Further, this shift may alter demand for orthotic versus prosthetic intervention. A more granular look into the data is warranted to determine if performing minor LA diminishes the need for major LA.

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Geographical factors in access: investigating the impact of distance on the use of primary care extended hours, an administrative data study.

International Journal for Population Data Science ◽

10.23889/ijpds.v4i3.1245 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Jen Murphy ◽

William Whittaker ◽

Mark Elliot ◽

Rathi Ravindrarajah

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Negative Binomial ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Negative Binomial Regression ◽

City Region ◽

Hub Location ◽

Barriers To Access ◽

Access To Primary Care ◽

The Right ◽

The Impact

IntroductionNHS national targets mandate extended opening hours of doctors’ surgeries as a mechanism for increasing access to primary care, based on the assumption that unmet need is caused by a lack of appointments at the right time. Research has shown that other factors impact access and it may not simply be availability that limits an individual’s ability to access healthcare. Aims and Objectives To determine whether distance, familiarity and deprivation impact on the uptake of extended hours GP services that use a hub practice model. MethodsWe linked an appointments dataset to publicly available population datasets. With that linked dataset, we used negative binomial regression to model count data relating to uses of the extended hours service in one care commissioning group in the Greater Manchester city region. The dataset included 32,693 appointments across 4 hubs serving 37 practices. ResultsFamiliarity and distance are important in predicting the number of uses of the extended hours service at a GP practice level. For a theoretical pair of practices collocated at the hub location, the model predicts a use rate of 101.2 for the non hub compared with 283.7 for the hub, a 180% uplift. For a pair of non-hub practices, one located the mean distance from the hub, the other located one mile further away, the model predicts 64.8 uses for the nearer practice, and 46.5 uses for the far practice, a 28% penalty. ConclusionThe results indicate geographical inequity in the extended hours service. There may be many patients with unmet need for whom the extension of hours via a hub model does not address barriers to access. Providers should consider whether or not this type of model actually works to facilitate access. This is particularly of importance in the context of closing health inequality gaps.

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Assessing the impact of antibiotic stewardship program elements on antibiotic use across acute-care hospitals: an observational study

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ice.2018.121 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (8) ◽

pp. 941-946 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Bradley J. Langford ◽

Julie Hui-Chih Wu ◽

Kevin A. Brown ◽

Xuesong Wang ◽

Valerie Leung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Observational Study ◽

Acute Care ◽

Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽

Acute Care Hospitals ◽

Antibiotic Use ◽

Audit And Feedback ◽

Prospective Audit ◽

Defined Daily Doses ◽

Prospective Audit And Feedback ◽

The Impact

AbstractObjectivesAntibiotic use varies widely between hospitals, but the influence of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) on this variability is not known. We aimed to determine the key structural and strategic aspects of ASPs associated with differences in risk-adjusted antibiotic utilization across facilities.DesignObservational study of acute-care hospitals in Ontario, CanadaMethodsA survey was sent to hospitals asking about both structural (8 elements) and strategic (32 elements) components of their ASP. Antibiotic use from hospital purchasing data was acquired for January 1 to December 31, 2014. Crude and adjusted defined daily doses per 1,000 patient days, accounting for hospital and aggregate patient characteristics, were calculated across facilities. Rate ratios (RR) of defined daily doses per 1,000 patient days were compared for hospitals with and without each antimicrobial stewardship element of interest.ResultsOf 127 eligible hospitals, 73 (57%) participated in the study. There was a 7-fold range in antibiotic use across these facilities (min, 253 defined daily doses per 1,000 patient days; max, 1,872 defined daily doses per 1,000 patient days). The presence of designated funding or resources for the ASP (RRadjusted, 0·87; 95% CI, 0·75–0·99), prospective audit and feedback (RRadjusted, 0·80; 95% CI, 0·67–0·96), and intravenous-to-oral conversion policies (RRadjusted, 0·79; 95% CI, 0·64–0·99) were associated with lower risk-adjusted antibiotic use.ConclusionsWide variability in antibiotic use across hospitals may be partially explained by both structural and strategic ASP elements. The presence of funding and resources, prospective audit and feedback, and intravenous-to-oral conversion should be considered priority elements of a robust ASP.

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Abstract 17161: Type and Intensity of Strategies to Reduce Readmissions Under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Were Not Associated With Improvements in Readmission Rates

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.142.suppl_3.17161 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

J Gmerice Hammond ◽

Jonathan Yu ◽

Jose Figueroa ◽

Karen E Joynt Maddox

Keyword(s):

Acute Care ◽

High Intensity ◽

Hospital Readmissions ◽

Acute Care Hospitals ◽

Transitions Of Care ◽

Patient Centered ◽

Readmission Rates ◽

Hospital Size ◽

Reduction Strategies ◽

Individual Strategies

Background: Little is known about what strategies are associated with improvements in hospital readmissions under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program. Objective: To determine whether the type or intensity of readmission reduction strategies were associated with changes in readmission rates for heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and pneumonia among acute care hospitals participating in the HRRP. Methods: We surveyed leaders of 1,600 U.S. acute care hospitals participating in the HRRP about their use of 13 specific strategies to reduce readmissions. Strategies were grouped into three domains: transitions of care (TOC, e.g. discharge checklist), quality improvement (QLT, e.g. medication reconciliation), and patient-centered (PC, e.g. patient engagement programs). Intensity of each domain was scored as high or low according to how many strategies were implemented. We calculated hospital-level readmission rates prior to (2011-12) and following (2014-15) HRRP implementation. We used linear regression to determine if there were associations between individual strategies, domains, or overall scope of strategies and a reduction in readmission rates. Results: Of the 1,600 hospitals surveyed, 926 participated (58% response rate). Hospitals reported using 6.1 (SD 2.5) strategies on average. TOC was the most commonly used domain: 69% of hospitals scored high intensity in TOC, compared to only 22% and 14% of hospitals scoring high intensity in QLT and PC domains, respectively. After adjusting for hospital size, type, teaching status, and location, there were no statistically significant associations between any individual strategy and changes in readmission rates, nor between domain intensity and changes in readmission rates. Nearly half of all hospitals, 49%, scored high in only one domain; only 22% scored high in two domains and 5% scored high in all three domains. In fully adjusted models, there was no association between scoring high in multiple domains and reducing readmission rates. Conclusions: Under the HRRP, hospitals focused most on transitions of care strategies. There was no evidence that any of the most commonly employed strategies for reducing readmissions were associated with differential changes in readmission rates.

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