Overtreatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in patients with urinary catheters remains high. ... more Overtreatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in patients with urinary catheters remains high. Health care professionals have difficulty differentiating cases of ASB from catheter-associated urinary tract infections. To evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of an intervention to reduce urine culture ordering and antimicrobial prescribing for catheter-associated ASB compared with standard quality improvement methods. A preintervention and postintervention comparison with a contemporaneous control group from July 2010 to June 2013 at 2 Veterans Affairs health care systems. Study populations were patients with urinary catheters on acute medicine wards and long-term care units and health care professionals who order urine cultures and prescribe antimicrobials. A multifaceted guidelines implementation intervention. The primary outcomes were urine cultures ordered per 1000 bed-days and cases of ASB receiving antibiotics (overtreatment) during intervention and maintenance periods compared with baseline at both sites. Patient-level analysis of inappropriate antimicrobial use adjusted for individual covariates. Study surveillance included 289 754 total bed-days. The overall rate of urine culture ordering decreased significantly during the intervention period (from 41.2 to 23.3 per 1000 bed-days; incidence rate ration [IRR], 0.57; 95% CI, 0.53-0.61) and further during the maintenance period (to 12.0 per 1000 bed-days; IRR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.26-0.32) (P < .001 for both). At the comparison site, urine cultures ordered did not change significantly across all 3 periods. There was a significant difference in the number of urine cultures ordered per month over time when comparing the 2 sites using longitudinal linear regression (P < .001). Overtreatment of ASB at the intervention site fell significantly during the intervention period (from 1.6 to 0.6 per 1000 bed-days; IRR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.22-0.55), and these reductions persisted during the maintenance period (to 0.4 per 1000 bed-days; IRR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.13-0.42) (P < .001 for both). Overtreatment of ASB at the comparison site was similar across all periods (odds ratio, 1.32; 95% CI, 0.69-2.52). When analyzed by type of ward, the decrease in ASB overtreatment was significant in long-term care. A multifaceted intervention targeting health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with urinary catheters reduced overtreatment of ASB compared with standard quality improvement methods. These improvements persisted during a low-intensity maintenance period. The impact was more pronounced in long-term care, an emerging domain for antimicrobial stewardship.
Discharge disposition is a patient-centered quality metric that reflects differences in quality o... more Discharge disposition is a patient-centered quality metric that reflects differences in quality of life and recovery following surgery. The effect of hospital volume on quality of recovery measured by rates of successful discharge to home remains unclear. To test the hypothesis that patients having colorectal surgery at high-volume hospitals would more likely be discharged to home rather than discharged to skilled rehabilitation facilities to complete recovery. Longitudinal analysis of 2008 hospital inpatient data to identify patients undergoing colorectal surgery who survived to discharge. The setting was the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer inpatient care database, containing data from more than 1000 hospitals. Participants were 280,644 patients (≥ 18 years) who underwent colorectal resections for benign or malignant disease and survived to discharge. The primary end point was discharge to home (with or without home health care) vs discharge to skilled facilities (skilled nursing, short-term recovery, or rehabilitation hospitals or other institutions). The secondary end point was discharge to home with home health care rather than to a skilled facility for patients with postdischarge care needs. Multiple logistic regression using robust standard errors was used to compute the odds ratios of each outcome based on hospital volume, while adjusting for other important variables. The odds of discharge to home vs discharge to skilled facilities were significantly greater in high-volume hospitals compared with low-volume hospitals (odds ratio, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.70-2.56), with an absolute increase of 9%. For patients with postdischarge care needs, high-volume hospitals were less likely than low-volume hospitals to use skilled facilities rather than home health care (odds ratio, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.27-0.45), with an absolute difference of 10%. Patients having colorectal surgery at high-volume hospitals are significantly more likely to recover and return home after surgery than individuals having operations at low-volume hospitals. This study is the first step in a process of identifying which features of high-volume hospitals contribute toward desirable outcomes. Efforts to identify the reasons for improved recovery at high-volume hospitals can help lower-volume hospitals adopt beneficial practices.
Immune responses after influenza immunization are reduced in elderly individuals, the group at gr... more Immune responses after influenza immunization are reduced in elderly individuals, the group at greatest risk for complications and death after influenza. Improved vaccines are needed to address this problem. Ambulatory individuals 65 years and older (N = 202) were assigned randomly to receive a single intramuscular injection of the 2001-2002 formulation of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine containing 15, 30, or 60 microg of hemagglutinin per strain (up to 180 microg total per dose) or placebo. Clinical and serologic responses were assessed during the month after immunization. Increasing dosages of vaccine elicited significantly higher serum antibody levels, frequencies of antibody responses, and putative protective titers after vaccination. Mean serum hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers 1 month after immunization in groups given 0-, 15-, 30-, and 60-microg dosages were 23, 37, 50, and 61 against influenza A/H1N1; 43, 86, 91, and 125 against influenza A/H3N2; and 10, 14, 18, and 24 against influenza B, respectively. Mean serum hemagglutination inhibition and neutralizing antibody levels against the 3 vaccine antigens in participants given the 60-microg dosage were 44% to 71% and 54% to 79%, respectively, higher than those in participants given the standard 15-microg dosage, and the 60-microg dosage level nearly doubled the frequency of antibody responses in those whose preimmunization antibody titers were in the lower half of the antibody range. Dose-related increases in the occurrence of injection site reactions were observed (P<.001), but all dosages were well tolerated. The improved immunogenicity of high-dose influenza vaccine among elderly persons should lead to enhanced protection against naturally occurring influenza.
Inappropriate use of antibiotics to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is a significant contrib... more Inappropriate use of antibiotics to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is a significant contributor to antibiotic overuse in hospitalized patients despite evidence-based guidelines on ASB management. We surveyed whether accurate knowledge of how to manage catheter-associated urine cultures was associated with level of training, familiarity with ASB guidelines, and various cognitive-behavioral constructs. We used a survey to measure respondents' knowledge of how to manage catheter-associated bacteriuria, familiarity with the content of the relevant Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines, and cognitive-behavioral constructs. The survey was administered to 169 residents and staff providers. The mean knowledge score was 57.5%, or slightly over one-half of the questions answered correctly. The overall knowledge score improved significantly with level of training (P < .0001). Only 42% of respondents reported greater than minimal recall of ASB guideline contents. Self-efficacy, behavior, risk perceptions, social norms, and guideline familiarity were individually correlated with knowledge score (P < .01). In multivariable analysis, behavior, risk perception, and year of training were correlated with knowledge score (P < .05). Knowledge of how to manage catheter-associated bacteriuria according to evidence-based guidelines increases with experience. Addressing both knowledge gaps and relevant cognitive biases early in training may decrease the inappropriate use of antibiotics to treat ASB.
Overtreatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in patients with urinary catheters remains high. ... more Overtreatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in patients with urinary catheters remains high. Health care professionals have difficulty differentiating cases of ASB from catheter-associated urinary tract infections. To evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of an intervention to reduce urine culture ordering and antimicrobial prescribing for catheter-associated ASB compared with standard quality improvement methods. A preintervention and postintervention comparison with a contemporaneous control group from July 2010 to June 2013 at 2 Veterans Affairs health care systems. Study populations were patients with urinary catheters on acute medicine wards and long-term care units and health care professionals who order urine cultures and prescribe antimicrobials. A multifaceted guidelines implementation intervention. The primary outcomes were urine cultures ordered per 1000 bed-days and cases of ASB receiving antibiotics (overtreatment) during intervention and maintenance periods compared with baseline at both sites. Patient-level analysis of inappropriate antimicrobial use adjusted for individual covariates. Study surveillance included 289 754 total bed-days. The overall rate of urine culture ordering decreased significantly during the intervention period (from 41.2 to 23.3 per 1000 bed-days; incidence rate ration [IRR], 0.57; 95% CI, 0.53-0.61) and further during the maintenance period (to 12.0 per 1000 bed-days; IRR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.26-0.32) (P < .001 for both). At the comparison site, urine cultures ordered did not change significantly across all 3 periods. There was a significant difference in the number of urine cultures ordered per month over time when comparing the 2 sites using longitudinal linear regression (P < .001). Overtreatment of ASB at the intervention site fell significantly during the intervention period (from 1.6 to 0.6 per 1000 bed-days; IRR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.22-0.55), and these reductions persisted during the maintenance period (to 0.4 per 1000 bed-days; IRR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.13-0.42) (P < .001 for both). Overtreatment of ASB at the comparison site was similar across all periods (odds ratio, 1.32; 95% CI, 0.69-2.52). When analyzed by type of ward, the decrease in ASB overtreatment was significant in long-term care. A multifaceted intervention targeting health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with urinary catheters reduced overtreatment of ASB compared with standard quality improvement methods. These improvements persisted during a low-intensity maintenance period. The impact was more pronounced in long-term care, an emerging domain for antimicrobial stewardship.
Discharge disposition is a patient-centered quality metric that reflects differences in quality o... more Discharge disposition is a patient-centered quality metric that reflects differences in quality of life and recovery following surgery. The effect of hospital volume on quality of recovery measured by rates of successful discharge to home remains unclear. To test the hypothesis that patients having colorectal surgery at high-volume hospitals would more likely be discharged to home rather than discharged to skilled rehabilitation facilities to complete recovery. Longitudinal analysis of 2008 hospital inpatient data to identify patients undergoing colorectal surgery who survived to discharge. The setting was the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer inpatient care database, containing data from more than 1000 hospitals. Participants were 280,644 patients (≥ 18 years) who underwent colorectal resections for benign or malignant disease and survived to discharge. The primary end point was discharge to home (with or without home health care) vs discharge to skilled facilities (skilled nursing, short-term recovery, or rehabilitation hospitals or other institutions). The secondary end point was discharge to home with home health care rather than to a skilled facility for patients with postdischarge care needs. Multiple logistic regression using robust standard errors was used to compute the odds ratios of each outcome based on hospital volume, while adjusting for other important variables. The odds of discharge to home vs discharge to skilled facilities were significantly greater in high-volume hospitals compared with low-volume hospitals (odds ratio, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.70-2.56), with an absolute increase of 9%. For patients with postdischarge care needs, high-volume hospitals were less likely than low-volume hospitals to use skilled facilities rather than home health care (odds ratio, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.27-0.45), with an absolute difference of 10%. Patients having colorectal surgery at high-volume hospitals are significantly more likely to recover and return home after surgery than individuals having operations at low-volume hospitals. This study is the first step in a process of identifying which features of high-volume hospitals contribute toward desirable outcomes. Efforts to identify the reasons for improved recovery at high-volume hospitals can help lower-volume hospitals adopt beneficial practices.
Immune responses after influenza immunization are reduced in elderly individuals, the group at gr... more Immune responses after influenza immunization are reduced in elderly individuals, the group at greatest risk for complications and death after influenza. Improved vaccines are needed to address this problem. Ambulatory individuals 65 years and older (N = 202) were assigned randomly to receive a single intramuscular injection of the 2001-2002 formulation of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine containing 15, 30, or 60 microg of hemagglutinin per strain (up to 180 microg total per dose) or placebo. Clinical and serologic responses were assessed during the month after immunization. Increasing dosages of vaccine elicited significantly higher serum antibody levels, frequencies of antibody responses, and putative protective titers after vaccination. Mean serum hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers 1 month after immunization in groups given 0-, 15-, 30-, and 60-microg dosages were 23, 37, 50, and 61 against influenza A/H1N1; 43, 86, 91, and 125 against influenza A/H3N2; and 10, 14, 18, and 24 against influenza B, respectively. Mean serum hemagglutination inhibition and neutralizing antibody levels against the 3 vaccine antigens in participants given the 60-microg dosage were 44% to 71% and 54% to 79%, respectively, higher than those in participants given the standard 15-microg dosage, and the 60-microg dosage level nearly doubled the frequency of antibody responses in those whose preimmunization antibody titers were in the lower half of the antibody range. Dose-related increases in the occurrence of injection site reactions were observed (P<.001), but all dosages were well tolerated. The improved immunogenicity of high-dose influenza vaccine among elderly persons should lead to enhanced protection against naturally occurring influenza.
Inappropriate use of antibiotics to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is a significant contrib... more Inappropriate use of antibiotics to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is a significant contributor to antibiotic overuse in hospitalized patients despite evidence-based guidelines on ASB management. We surveyed whether accurate knowledge of how to manage catheter-associated urine cultures was associated with level of training, familiarity with ASB guidelines, and various cognitive-behavioral constructs. We used a survey to measure respondents' knowledge of how to manage catheter-associated bacteriuria, familiarity with the content of the relevant Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines, and cognitive-behavioral constructs. The survey was administered to 169 residents and staff providers. The mean knowledge score was 57.5%, or slightly over one-half of the questions answered correctly. The overall knowledge score improved significantly with level of training (P < .0001). Only 42% of respondents reported greater than minimal recall of ASB guideline contents. Self-efficacy, behavior, risk perceptions, social norms, and guideline familiarity were individually correlated with knowledge score (P < .01). In multivariable analysis, behavior, risk perception, and year of training were correlated with knowledge score (P < .05). Knowledge of how to manage catheter-associated bacteriuria according to evidence-based guidelines increases with experience. Addressing both knowledge gaps and relevant cognitive biases early in training may decrease the inappropriate use of antibiotics to treat ASB.
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