Impact of Beta-Lactam Allergies on Selection of Antimicrobials in an Inpatient Setting Among Veteran Population

ABSTRACT Purpose Beta-lactam antibiotics are among the most common and widely used antibiotics. However, reported allergy to this class of antibiotics is also common, leading to the use of alternative broad-spectrum antibiotics by healthcare providers. This has led to the emergence of various negative health outcomes. The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of using alternative antibiotics secondary to a beta-lactam allergy among U.S. veterans who have otherwise multiple comorbidities. Methods This retrospective observational analysis was conducted over a 5-year period (January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2016) at the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Admitted patients with a documented beta-lactam allergy were categorized to preferred or non-preferred status based on initial antibiotic therapy antibiotic, allergy history, published guidelines, and local antibiogram. Preferred therapy was defined as the optimal antibiotic treatment for a given indication based on patient allergy history, published Infectious Disease Society of America guidelines, and local antibiogram of Memphis VAMC. The therapy was classified as “non-preferred” if it did not satisfy the preferred therapy criteria. Non-preferred treatments were further assessed for appropriateness based on indication and patient-specific factors. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were conducted to find a difference in rates of negative sequelae among patients receiving preferred vs. non-preferred treatments and appropriate vs. inappropriate treatments. Findings Of the 1806 admissions identified, data were collected on 95 unique patients with 147 different antibiotic regimens. There were 68 (52%) preferred treatment regimens and 64 (48%) non-preferred treatment regimens. Of the 64 non-preferred treatments, 43 (67%) were inappropriate. There was a statistically significant decrease in the number of adverse drug events and in the combined negative sequelae outcome among patients receiving preferred therapy vs. non-preferred therapy (2 vs. 12; P < .01 and 11 vs. 23; P < .01, respectively). Implications The receipt of non-preferred antibiotic therapy among veterans with a recorded beta-lactam allergy may be associated with an increased risk of developing negative outcomes. Among military personnel, removing unnecessary beta-lactam allergies would improve readiness with optimal antibiotic choices and avoidance of unnecessary risks, expediting return to full duty.

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Alcohol Hand Rub Significantly Reduces Overall Bacterial Bioburden on Stethoscopes in a Real-World Clinical Setting

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ice.2020.620 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. s114-s115

Author(s):

Alexandra Johnson ◽

Bobby Warren ◽

Deverick John Anderson ◽

Melissa Johnson ◽

Isabella Gamez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real World ◽

Medical Center ◽

Academic Medical Center ◽

Randomized Study ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Clinical Workflow ◽

Provider Type ◽

Academic Medical ◽

Rn Students ◽

The Impact

Background: Stethoscopes are a known vector for microbial transmission; however, common strategies used to clean stethoscopes pose certain barriers that prevent routine cleaning after every use. We aimed to determine whether using readily available alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) would effectively reduce bacterial bioburden on stethoscopes in a real-world setting. Methods: We performed a randomized study on inpatient wards of an academic medical center to assess the impact of using ABHR (AlcareExtra; ethyl alcohol, 80%) on the bacterial bioburden of stethoscopes. Stethoscopes were obtained from healthcare providers after routine use during an inpatient examination and were randomized to control (no intervention) or ABHR disinfection (2 pumps applied to tubing and bell or diaphragm by study personnel, then allowed to dry). Cultures of the tubing and bell or diaphragm were obtained with premoistened cellulose sponges. Sponges were combined with 1% Tween20-PBS and mixed in the Seward Stomacher. The homogenate was centrifuged and all but ~5 mL of the supernatant was discarded. Samples were plated on sheep’s blood agar and selective media for clinically important pathogens (CIPs) including S. aureus, Enterococcus spp, and gram-negative bacteria (GNB). CFU count was determined by counting the number of colonies on each plate and using dilution calculations to calculate the CFU of the original ~5 mL homogenate. Results: In total, 80 stethoscopes (40 disinfection, 40 control) were sampled from 46 physicians (MDs) and MD students (57.5%), 13 advanced practice providers (16.3%), and 21 nurses (RNs) and RN students (26.3%). The median CFU count was ~30-fold lower in the disinfection arm compared to control (106 [IQR, 50–381] vs 3,320 [986–4,834]; P < .0001). The effect was consistent across provider type, frequency of recent usual stethoscope cleaning, age, and status of pet ownership (Fig. 1). Overall, 26 of 80 (33%) of stethoscopes harbored CIP. The presence of CIP was lower but not significantly different for stethoscopes that underwent disinfection versus controls: S. aureus (25% vs 32.5%), Enterococcus (2.5% vs 10%), and GNB (2.5% vs 5%). Conclusions: Stethoscopes may serve as vectors for clean hands to become recontaminated immediately prior to performing patient care activities. Using ABHR to clean stethoscopes after every use is a practical and effective strategy to reduce overall bacterial contamination that can be easily incorporated into clinical workflow. Larger studies are needed to determine the efficacy of ABHR at removing CIP from stethoscopes as stethoscopes in both arms were frequently contaminated with CIP. Prior cleaning of stethoscopes on the study day did not seem to impact contamination rates, suggesting the impact of alcohol foam disinfection is short-lived and may need to be repeated frequently (ie, after each use).Funding: NoneDisclosures: NoneDisclosures: NoneFunding: None

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Ureteral Involvement and Diabetes Increase the Risk of Subsequent Bladder Recurrence after Nephroureterectomy for Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2015/527976 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Che-Yuan Hu ◽

Yu-Chieh Tsai ◽

Shuo-Meng Wang ◽

Chao-Yuan Huang ◽

Huai-Ching Tai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prognostic Factors ◽

Urinary Tract ◽

Urothelial Carcinoma ◽

Cox Model ◽

Medical Center ◽

Upper Urinary Tract ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Impact ◽

Bladder Recurrence ◽

Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

Objectives.To investigate the prognostic factors for bladder recurrence after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUT-UC).Methods.From 1994 to 2012, 695 patients with UUT-UC treated with RNU were enrolled in National Taiwan University Medical Center. Among them, 532 patients with no prior bladder UC history were recruited for analysis. We assessed the impact of potentially prognostic factors on bladder recurrence after RNU.Results.The median follow-up period was 47.8 months. In the Cox model, ureteral involvement and diabetes mellitus (DM) were significantly associated with a higher bladder recurrence rate in the multivariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.838;P=0.003and HR: 1.821;P=0.010, resp.). In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, DM patients with concomitant ureteral UC experienced about a threefold increased risk of bladder recurrence as compared to those without both factors (HR: 3.222;P<0.001). Patients with either of the two risk factors experienced about a twofold increased risk as compared to those without both factors (with DM, HR: 2.184,P=0.024; with ureteral involvement, HR: 2.006,P=0.003).Conclusions.Ureteral involvement and DM are significantly related to bladder recurrence after RNU in patients with UUT-UC.

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Scheduling Delayed Treatment and Surgeries Post-Pandemic: A Stakeholder Analysis

Proceedings of the International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care ◽

10.1177/2327857920091066 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 10-14

Author(s):

Emily S. Patterson ◽

Elizabeth Lerner Papautsky ◽

Jessica L. Krok-Schoen ◽

Clara Lee ◽

Ko Un Park ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Local Community ◽

Elective Surgery ◽

Stakeholder Analysis ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Hospital Staff ◽

Operating Rooms ◽

Inpatient Setting ◽

Care Needs ◽

Delayed Treatment ◽

Increased Risk

Many are interested in how to safely ramp up elective surgeries after national, state, and voluntary shutdowns of operating rooms to minimize the spread of COVID-19 infections to patients and providers. We conducted an analysis of diverse perspectives from stakeholders regarding how to trade off risks and benefits to patients, healthcare providers, and the local community. Our findings indicate that there are a large number of different categories of stakeholders impacted by the post-pandemic decisions to reschedule delayed treatments and surgeries. For a delayed surgery, the primary stakeholders are the surgeon with expertise about the clinical benefits of undergoing an operation and the patient’s willingness to tolerate uncertainty and the increased risk of infection. For decisions about how much capacity in the operating rooms and in the inpatient setting after the surgery, the primary considerations are minimizing staff infections, preventing patients from getting COVID-19 during operations and during post-surgical recovery at the hospital, conserving critical resources such as PPE, and meeting the needs of hospital staff for quality of life, such as child care needs and avoiding infecting members of their household. The timing and selection of elective surgery cases has an impact on the ability of hospitals to steward finances, which in turns affects decisions about maintaining employment of staff when operating rooms and inpatient rooms are not being used.

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Donor genetic variants in interleukin-6 and interleukin-6 receptor associate with biopsy-proven rejection following kidney transplantation.

10.1101/2021.04.17.21255669 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Felix Poppelaars ◽

Mariana Gaya da Costa ◽

Siawosh K. Eskandari ◽

Jeffrey Damman ◽

Marc A. Seelen

Keyword(s):

Kidney Transplantation ◽

Renal Transplantation ◽

Renal Transplant ◽

Interleukin 6 ◽

Medical Center ◽

Organ Donors ◽

Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Major Player ◽

The Impact

Rejection after kidney transplantation remains an important cause of allograft failure that markedly impacts morbidity. Cytokines are a major player in rejection, and we, therefore, explored the impact of interleukin-6 (IL6) and IL-6 receptor (IL6R) gene polymorphisms on the occurrence of rejection after renal transplantation. We performed an observational cohort study analyzing both donor and recipient DNA in 1,271 renal transplant-pairs from the University Medical Center Groningen in The Netherlands and associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with biopsy-proven rejection after kidney transplantation. The C-allele of the IL6R SNP (Asp358Ala: rs2228145 A>C, formerly rs8192284) in donor kidneys conferred a reduced risk of rejection following renal transplantation (HR 0.78 per C-allele; 95%-CI 0.67-0.90; P=0.001). On the other hand, the C-allele of the IL6 SNP (at position-174 in the promoter; rs1800795 G>C) in donor kidneys was associated with an increased risk of rejection for male organ donors (HR per C-allele 1.31; 95%-CI 1.08-1.58; P=0.0006), but not female organ donors (P=0.33). In contrast, neither the IL6 nor IL6R SNP in the recipient showed an association with renal transplant rejection. In conclusion, donor IL6 and IL6R genotypes but not recipient genotypes represent an independent prognostic marker for biopsy-proven renal allograft rejection.

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1005. The Antibiotic Optimization DOOR: Refining Assessment of Antibiotic Therapy with Desirability of Outcome Ranking

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofz360.869 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. S354-S354

Author(s):

Steven Smoke ◽

Vishal Patel ◽

Nicole Leonida ◽

Maria DeVivo

Keyword(s):

Retrospective Study ◽

Antibiotic Therapy ◽

Medical Center ◽

Academic Medical Center ◽

Treatment Success ◽

Molecular Diagnostic ◽

Single Measure ◽

Optimal Therapy ◽

Desirable Outcome ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Desirability of outcome ranking (DOOR) is a novel methodology for incorporating multiple outcomes into a single value to more comprehensively compare therapeutic strategies. Its primary application has been limited to antibiotic clinical trials, incorporating treatment success and antibiotic toxicity into a single measure. We describe the application of DOOR methodology to a retrospective study evaluating antibiotic optimization. Methods This was a single-center, retrospective quasi-experimental study conducted at an academic medical center evaluating the impact of prospective pharmacist review of rapid molecular diagnostic testing (RDT) of blood cultures on antibiotic optimization. Two 8-week time periods were evaluated, corresponding to RDT implementation prior to prospective pharmacist review (RDT-only) and RDT with prospective pharmacist review (RDT-PPR). Patients with a positive blood culture who were not on optimal therapy at the time of gram stain were included in the study. Outcomes included the percentage of patients who received optimal therapy, time to optimal antibiotic therapy, and percentage of patients who had therapy de-escalated. An antibiotic optimization DOOR was created with 3 ordinal ranks. The most desirable outcome, rank one, was patients receiving optimal therapy with no missed de-escalation opportunities. Rank two was patients receiving optimal therapy with a missed de-escalation opportunity. The least desirable outcome, rank three, consisted of patients not receiving optimal antibiotic therapy. Time to optimal therapy was used as a tiebreaker for patients in ranks one and two. Results A total of 19 and 29 patients were included in the pre and post-intervention periods, respectively. The percentage of patients reaching optimal therapy was 84% (16/19) and 97% ([28/29], P = 0.16). Median time to optimal therapy was 30:28:26 and 22:40:17 (P = 0.32), respectively. DOOR analysis indicated that the probability of a better outcome for the RDT-PPR group than the RDT-only group was 58% (95% CI 54–62). Conclusion In this small retrospective study, the use of a novel composite methodology identified the benefit of an intervention that was not detected by standard comparison of individual outcomes. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

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1039. Forty-eight-hour Antibiotic Time-out: Impact on Antibiotic Duration and Clinical Outcomes

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofz360.903 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. S365-S366

Author(s):

Natasha N Pettit ◽

Palak Bhagat ◽

Cynthia T Nguyen ◽

Victoria J L Konold ◽

Madan Kumar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pediatric Patients ◽

Medical Center ◽

Inpatient Setting ◽

Core Element ◽

Time Out ◽

Before And After ◽

Control And Prevention ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Tract Infections ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background A core element of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Antimicrobial Stewardship standard for the inpatient setting includes a 48-hour antibiotic time-out (ATO) process to reassess antibiotic indication. We implemented an automated alert in the electronic health record (EHR) that identifies patients that have received >=48hours of antibiotic therapy. The alert requires the clinician (physician or pharmacist) to note an indication for continuation or plan for discontinuation. Within the alert, a dashboard was developed to include relevant patient information (e.g., temperature, white blood cell count, microbiology, etc). We sought to evaluate the impact of the ATO alert on the duration of therapy (DOT) of cefepime (CFP), ceftazidime (CTZ) and vancomycin (VAN), for the treatment of pneumonia (PNA) and urinary tract infections (UTI) for adult and pediatric patients. Methods This quasi-experimental, retrospective analysis included adult and pediatric patients that received ≥48 hours of CFP, CTZ, or VAN for UTI or PNA between April 1, 2017 and July 31, 2017 (pre-48H ATO) and October 1, 2018–December 31, 2018 (post-48H ATO). Fields at order-entry to specify an antibiotic indication were not available prior to our EHR interventions. A randomized subset from the Pre-48Hr ATO group was selected for detailed analysis. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the average DOT of CFP/CTZ combined, VAN alone, and the combination of CFP/CTZ/VAN. We also evaluated length of stay (LOS), all-cause inpatient mortality, and 30-day readmissions. Results A total of 157 antibiotic orders (n = 94 patients) were evaluated in the pre-48h ATO group, and 2093 antibiotic orders (n = 521 patients) post-48H ATO group. Pre-48H ATO, 85 patients received CFP/CTZ and 72 VAN. Post-48H ATO, 322 patients received CFP/CTZ and 198 VAN. PNA was the most common indication pre- and post-48H ATO. DOT significantly decreased pre- vs. post-48H ATO (Figure 1). LOS was 2 days shorter (P = 0.01) in the post-48H ATO group, mortality and 30-day readmissions was similar between groups (Table 1). Conclusion Average antibiotic DOT for CFP/CTZ, and VAN significantly decreased following the implementation of the 48H ATO at our medical center. LOS was reduced by 2 days, while mortality and 30-day readmissions were similar before and after. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

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Detection of Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusand Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci on the Gowns and Gloves of Healthcare Workers

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1086/588701 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 29 (7) ◽

pp. 583-589 ◽

Cited By ~ 118

Author(s):

Graham M. Snyder ◽

Kerri A. Thorn ◽

Jon P. Furuno ◽

Eli N. Perencevich ◽

Mary-Claire Roghmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Medical Center ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Routine Care ◽

Inpatient Setting ◽

Jejunostomy Tube ◽

Endoscopic Gastrostomy ◽

Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Vancomycin Resistant

Objective.To assess the rate of and the risk factors for the detection of methicillin-resistantS. aureus(MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) on the protective gowns and gloves of healthcare workers (HCWs).Methods.We observed the interactions between HCWs and patients during routine clinical activities in a 29-bed medical intensive care unit at the University of Maryland Medical Center, an urban tertiary care academic hospital. Samples for culture were obtained from HCWs' hands prior to their entering a patient's room, from HCWs' disposable gowns and gloves after they completed patient care activities, and from HCWs' hands immediately after they removed their protective gowns and gloves.Results.Of 137 HCWs caring for patients colonized or infected with MRSA and/or VRE, 24 (17.5%; 95% confidence interval, 11.6%–24.4%) acquired the organism on their gloves, gown, or both. HCW contact with the endotracheal tube or tracheostomy site of a patient (P< .05), HCW contact with the head and/or neck of a patient (P< .05), and HCW presence in the room of a patient with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and/or jejunostomy tube (P< .05) were associated with an increased risk of acquiring these organisms.Conclusions.The gloves and gowns of HCWs frequently become contaminated with MRSA and VRE during the routine care of patients, and particularly during care of the patient's respiratory tract and any associated indwelling devices. As part of a larger infection control strategy, including high-compliance hand disinfection, they likely provide a useful barrier to transmitting antibiotic-resistant organisms among patients in an inpatient setting.

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756. Impact of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists as Part of an Interdisciplinary OPAT Team Managing Vancomycin

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofz360.824 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. S337-S338

Author(s):

Meagan L Adamsick ◽

Ronak G Gandhi ◽

Samantha N Steiger ◽

Monique R Bidell ◽

Sandra B Nelson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infectious Diseases ◽

Adverse Drug Events ◽

Massachusetts General Hospital ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Ambulatory Setting ◽

Patient Specific ◽

Control Group ◽

Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) is a growing area of Infectious Diseases (ID) that allows for the treatment of severe infections in the ambulatory setting. Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) incorporated inpatient ID pharmacists into the OPAT team in June 2017 to assist with vancomycin monitoring and dosing. Laboratory results were received and documented by the OPAT nurse and forwarded to the pharmacists for assessment via the electronic medical record (EMR). Pharmacists then sent clinical recommendations to the physician. This study aimed to determine the impact of pharmacists’ involvement in OPAT vancomycin management. Methods An EMR-generated report identified patients in the OPAT program from June 2016 through May 2017 as the control group and June 2017 through May 2018 as the intervention group. One hundred patients were randomly selected during each period. Patients were excluded from the intervention group if no pharmacist documentation was present. The primary outcome was to evaluate the proportion of vancomycin levels within the patient-specific goal range and secondary outcomes included the proportion of (1) pharmacists’ recommendations accepted by the ID physician and (2) patients who experienced adverse drug events. Results A total of 200 patients were evaluated. The most common indication for enrollment was osteomyelitis (46%). No differences in baseline characteristics were noted, and the median age was 67 years. The percentage of vancomycin levels within goal was significantly higher in the pharmacist-managed group compared with the control group (66.8% vs. 54.2%; P < 0.0001). The number of patients who experienced adverse drug events was similar between the two groups (39% vs. 43%; P = 0.66); however, fewer patients in the pharmacist group experienced acute kidney injury (5% vs. 13%; P = 0.08). Finally, 100% of pharmacist recommendations were accepted by ID physicians. Conclusion Leveraging inpatient ID pharmacists at MGH in the management of OPAT vancomycin provided improved percentage of vancomycin in therapeutic range and high acceptance rate of interventions. Further evaluation is necessary to assess the inpatient ID pharmacists’ workflow for implementation into other OPAT programs. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

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Seasonal variation in the prevalence of profound hyponatremia (<125 mmol/l) in patients on admission to an acute hospital in Japan

Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare ◽

10.1177/2010105819839373 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 211-213 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nobukazu Sasaki ◽

Yuji Aoki

Keyword(s):

Salt Intake ◽

Medical Center ◽

Relevant Literature ◽

Warm Season ◽

Cold Season ◽

Acute Hospital ◽

Drug Induced ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Impact

Hyponatremia is a common but important electrolyte disorder mostly complicated with other diseases. Recently, we experienced a case of a hypertensive patient in her seventies taking a thiazide diuretic, who presented with disorientation due to severe hyponatremia (serum sodium level, 104 mmol/l) on admission. Taking this opportunity, patients with profound hyponatremia (<125 mmol/l) on admission were investigated. Patients newly admitted to Matsumoto Medical Center (an acute hospital) were surveyed retrospectively for one year from May 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017. Patients with profound hyponatremia on admission were selected, and their clinical characteristics were evaluated. A total of 108 out of 4223 patients (2.6%; 67 men, 41 women) showed profound hyponatremia, and 101 out of 108 patients were 65 years old and over. The prevalence of profound hyponatremia in the warm season of April to October (3.1%, 76 in 2444 patients) was significantly ( p = 0.002, χ2 test) higher than that in the cold season of November to March (1.8%, 32 in 1779 patients). The monthly prevalence tended to correlate with the monthly average temperature of the local area ( r = 0.517, p = 0.085). There were six patients treated with thiazide diuretics in the warm season, while there were no such patients in the cold season, not reaching a significant difference ( p = 0.240). The present study demonstrated an increased risk of hyponatremia in elderly patients during the warm season. Considering also the relevant literature, health professionals should pay enough attention to thiazide- or drug-induced hyponatremia and the impact of water/salt intake for heat exposure.

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A Qualitative Exploration to Understand Hospitalists’ Attitude Toward the Patient Experience Scoring System

Journal of Patient Experience ◽

10.1177/2374373520942418 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (6) ◽

pp. 1036-1043 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ankur Segon ◽

Yogita Segon ◽

Vivek Kumar ◽

Hirotaka Kato

Keyword(s):

Scoring System ◽

Medical Center ◽

Academic Medical Center ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Semistructured Interview ◽

Academic Medical ◽

Knowledge And Attitude ◽

Patient’S Perception ◽

The Impact ◽

Hcahps Survey

Patient’s perception of their inpatient experience is measured by the Center for Medical Services’ (CMS) administered Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems (HCAHPS) survey. There is scant existing literature on physicians’ perceptions toward the HCAHPS scoring system. Understanding hospitalist knowledge and attitude toward the HCAHPS survey can help guide efforts to impact HCAHPS survey scores by improving the patient’s perception of their hospital experience. The goal of this study is to explore hospitalists’ knowledge and perspective of the physician communication domain of the HCAHPS survey at an academic medical center. Seven hospitalists at an academic medical center were interviewed for this report using a semistructured interview. Thematic analysis approach was used to analyze data. Open, line-by-line coding was performed on all 7 transcripts. Categories were derived in an inductive fashion. Categories were refined using the techniques of constant comparison and axial coding. We generated themes reflecting hospitalists’ knowledge of the HCAHPS scoring system, their perception of the HCAHPS scoring system and the impact of the HCAHPS scoring system on their practice. While hospitalists acknowledged physician–patient communication is a challenging area to study, they are unlikely to embrace the feedback provided by HCAHPS surveys. There is a need to deploy tactics that provide timely and actionable feedback to providers on their bedside communication skills.

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