Acute Care Community Hospital Research Articles

The role of patient and family advisory boards in promoting greater attention to patient social needs by U.S. acute care hospitals.

There is growing attention to individual-level patient social needs such as unstable housing and food insecurity. Such considerations, however, have historically been the purview of public health and have not been a priority of more traditional health care delivery organizations, such as acute care hospitals. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the presence of patient and family advisory boards (PFABs) among acute care community hospitals was associated with screening for and programs to address patient social needs. We used a secondary data set derived from the American Hospital Association's 2020 and 2021 annual surveys, along with multinomial and negative binomial regression models to assess the relationship between the presence/absence of a PFAB and the likelihood of offering and the number of areas addressed by social needs screening programs. More than half (55.9%) of all responding hospitals reported having a PFAB in 2020 (55.9%) and 2021 (52.7%). The presence of a PFAB among hospitals was significantly associated with patient social needs screening, more areas addressed by programs, and more types of partners to address these needs. Community hospitals with a PFAB have more robust programs and partnerships to address patient social needs. Hospital leaders should consider going beyond simply establishing programs to address social needs but also consider comprehensiveness of these programs to recognize the intersectionality of social needs. One way to do this is to formally establish a PFAB to help hospitals better identify and prioritize the needs in local communities and design social needs programs/solutions that are patient- and family-centric.

A command centre implementation before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a community hospital

IntroductionThe objective of the study was to assess the effects of high-reliability system by implementing a command centre (CC) on clinical outcomes in a community hospital before and during COVID-19 pandemic from the year 2016 to 2021.MethodsA descriptive, retrospective study was conducted at an acute care community hospital. The administrative data included monthly average admissions, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, average length of stay, total ICU length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. In-hospital acquired events were recorded and defined as one of the following: cardiac arrest, cerebral infarction, respiratory arrest, or sepsis after hospital admissions. A subgroup statistical analysis of patients with in-hospital acquired events was performed. In addition, a subgroup statistical analysis was performed for the department of medicine.ResultsThe rates of in-hospital acquired events and in-hospital mortality among all admitted patients did not change significantly throughout the years 2016 to 2021. In the subgroup of patients with in-hospital acquired events, the in-hospital mortality rate also did not change during the years of the study, despite the increase in the ICU admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic.Although the in-hospital mortality rate did not increase for all admitted patients, the in-hospital mortality rate increased in the department of medicine.ConclusionImplementation of CC and centralized management systems has the potential to improve quality of care by supporting early identification and real-time management of patients at risk of harm and clinical deterioration, including COVID-19 patients.

2440. Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection Incidence Reduction Accompanies Initial-Specimen Diversion Device Adoption

Abstract Background Established lines are poor sites for sampling blood (frequently host to enterococci and Candida species) but peripheral venipuncture is an imperfect alternative as antiseptics struggle to eliminate deeply embedded microorganisms. State-of-the-art initial-specimen diversion device (ISDD) use can facilitate near-zero blood culture contamination rates, but impact on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) incidence is unclear. Methods Intervention took place within a Joint Commission-accredited, 200-bed, acute-care community hospital serving nine Southeastern United States counties toward the objective of reduced CLABSI reporting. From September 2021 through March 2023, ISDD use augmented all peripheral venipuncture sample collection for adult patient blood culture. CLABSI reporting and the associated National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) standardized infection ratio (SIR) data for the 18-month intervention period was compared to the preceding 18-month period. Results For the 18 months prior to ISDD use, 6.5 CLABSIs were predicted and 17 CLABSIs were reported. For the 18 months during which ISDD use augmented standard procedure, 5.5 CLABSIs were predicted and 3 CLABSIs were reported. ISDD use accompanied an 80% reduction in SIR, from 2.6 to 0.5. Conclusion The study period coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, a nationwide struggle with considerable quality control shortcomings observed in this space that, by juxtaposition, reinforce the strengths of the intervention. SIRs are the primary means of tracking healthcare-associated infection trends, and financial penalties follow performances failing to meet predictions. As CLABSI reporting throughout the intervention period was dramatically below NHSN prediction, the author concludes that ISDDs have standard-of-care potential and encourages further study in the interest of antimicrobial stewardship and quality control. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Provision of chaplaincy services in U.S. hospitals: A strategic conformity perspective.

Increasingly, hospitals are expected to provide patient-centered care that attends to patients' health needs, including spiritual care needs. Chaplaincy services help to meet patients' spiritual care needs, which have been shown to have a positive impact on health outcomes. Variation in the provision of chaplaincy services suggests hospitals do not uniformly conform to the expectation of making chaplaincy services available. The aim of this study was to examine the availability and factors that influence hospitals' provision of chaplaincy services. Data were combined from the American Hospital Association annual surveys with the Area Health Resource File at the county level from 2010 to 2019. Observations on general, acute-care community hospitals were analyzed (45,384 hospital-year observations) using logistic regression that clustered standard errors at the hospital level. Hospitals with Joint Commission accreditation, more staffed beds, nonprofit and government ownership, teaching status, one or more intensive care units, a higher percentage of Medicare inpatient days, church affiliation, and system membership were more likely to provide chaplaincy services than their counterparts. Certification as a trauma hospital and market competition showed no influence on the provision of chaplaincy services. The lack of chaplaincy services in many hospitals may be due to limited resources, workforce shortage, or a lack of consensus on scope and nature of chaplaincy services. Chaplaincy services are an underutilized resource that influences patient experience, clinician burnout and turnover, and the goal of ensuring care is patient-centered. Administrators should consider stronger partnerships where services are provided; researchers and policymakers should consider how the lack of these services in some hospitals may reinforce existing health disparities.

Validity and Reliability Evidence of the Munro Scale for Perioperative Patients Part II: Construct Validity.

Background and Purpose: The Munro Pressure Injury Risk Assessment Scale for Perioperative Patients (Munro Scale) is the first three-phase risk instrument designed specifically for perioperative patients. The purpose of this study was to establish validity and reliability evidence for the Munro Scale. This study also had a goal to reduce the data into more manageable constructs with fewer items. Methods: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the hypothesized model for risk assessment using the Munro Scale to identify latent variables. A retrospective review of charts from 630 risk assessments was analyzed from two community acute care hospital settings. Results: The model explained 95% of the variance in the cumulative final risk level, R2 = .95, F(20, 588) = 501.88, p < .001. Six latent variables emerged in the model with a cumulative contribution rate of 56% of the variance. Similar results were obtained in studies with Chinese and Turkish translations of the Munro Scale. Conclusions: The validity and reliability evidence obtained in this study supports the implementation of the Munro Scale for clinical practice in the perioperative setting.

Racial Disparities in Length of Stay Among Severely Ill Patients Presenting With Sepsis and Acute Respiratory Failure

Although racial and ethnic minority patients with sepsis and acute respiratory failure (ARF) experience worse outcomes, how patient presentation characteristics, processes of care, and hospital resource delivery are associated with outcomes is not well understood. To measure disparities in hospital length of stay (LOS) among patients at high risk of adverse outcomes who present with sepsis and/or ARF and do not immediately require life support and to quantify associations with patient- and hospital-level factors. This matched retrospective cohort study used electronic health record data from 27 acute care teaching and community hospitals across the Philadelphia metropolitan and northern California areas between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2018. Matching analyses were performed between June 1 and July 31, 2022. The study included 102 362 adult patients who met clinical criteria for sepsis (n = 84 685) or ARF (n = 42 008) with a high risk of death at the time of presentation to the emergency department but without an immediate requirement for invasive life support. Racial or ethnic minority self-identification. Hospital LOS, defined as the time from hospital admission to the time of discharge or inpatient death. Matches were stratified by racial and ethnic minority patient identity, comparing Asian and Pacific Islander patients, Black patients, Hispanic patients, and multiracial patients with White patients in stratified analyses. Among 102 362 patients, the median (IQR) age was 76 (65-85) years; 51.5% were male. A total of 10.2% of patients self-identified as Asian American or Pacific Islander, 13.7% as Black, 9.7% as Hispanic, 60.7% as White, and 5.7% as multiracial. After matching racial and ethnic minority patients to White patients on clinical presentation characteristics, hospital capacity strain, initial intensive care unit admission, and the occurrence of inpatient death, Black patients experienced longer LOS relative to White patients in fully adjusted matches (sepsis: 1.26 [95% CI, 0.68-1.84] days; ARF: 0.97 [95% CI, 0.05-1.89] days). Length of stay was shorter among Asian American and Pacific Islander patients with ARF (-0.61 [95% CI, -0.88 to -0.34] days) and Hispanic patients with sepsis (-0.22 [95% CI, -0.39 to -0.05] days) or ARF (-0.47 [-0.73 to -0.20] days). In this cohort study, Black patients with severe illness who presented with sepsis and/or ARF experienced longer LOS than White patients. Hispanic patients with sepsis and Asian American and Pacific Islander and Hispanic patients with ARF both experienced shorter LOS. Because matched differences were independent of commonly implicated clinical presentation-related factors associated with disparities, identification of additional mechanisms that underlie these disparities is warranted.

Transformation of observation unit to address higher acuity patients and increase bed capacity during a Covid-19 surge

A Magnet®-designated acute care community hospital in Southeast Texas experienced a COVID-19 surge during the summer of 2020 that increased the acuity of admitted patients. The critical care, intermediate care, and COVID-19 units were consistently at capacity. These beds were no longer considered an available resource, but their need continued to grow. As hospital acuity increased, patients were placed in medical or surgical (medsurg) units when historically they may have been placed in a critical care unit. Hospital leadership determined that more space was needed to cohort COVID-19 patients, specifically those on high-flow oxygen. Given the decrease in observation status patients, an existing observation unit was converted into a high-flow oxygen unit using team nursing and personal protective equipment (PPE) zones. The successful transformation of the observation unit provided a guide on the cohorting of patients and team nursing approach for any future disease surges.

PSAT034 A Case of Adrenal Crisis in Association With a Febrile Response to the bnt162b2 mRNA COVID-19 (Pfizer) Vaccine Heralding a Diagnosis of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency.

Abstract Background In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines were approved for the first time for use in the general population. Vaccination can trigger a febrile flu-like response that is self-limited in healthy individuals. Febrile illness is a classic trigger of acute adrenal insufficiency in patients who are cortisol deficient, but recognizing this clinical scenario is challenging in patients with undiagnosed adrenal insufficiency. Case Presentation A 24-year-old male presented to an acute care community hospital with fatigue, fever, and vomiting 12 hours after receiving the second dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 (Pfizer) vaccine. He was 6 feet tall, and his weight was 175 pounds. He had a temperature of 103 F, a blood pressure of 88/42 mmHg, and a heart rate of 100 bmp on admission. Hypotension persisted despite aggressive fluid resuscitation and broad-spectrum antibiotics. CT of the chest and CT angiogram of the abdomen and Pelvis did not identify an etiology for his presentation. Over a period of hours, he became obtunded, disoriented, and required vasopressor support. He received 100 mg of IV hydrocortisone followed by 50 mg every 6 hours for treatment of presumed sepsis and was transferred to an intensive care unit. Within 24 hours of starting glucocorticoid therapy, he was awake and oriented, defervesced, and became normotensive. This rapid improvement led to suspicion of adrenal insufficiency as an underlying diagnosis. Further questioning revealed a 4-month history of recurrent nausea, vomiting, severe fatigue, to the point where he had trouble climbing a flight of stairs, and a 40-pound unintentional weight loss. He visited an emergency department 3 times over this period and had outpatient evaluations by gastroenterology and cardiology without identifying a cause. Inpatient evaluation revealed a morning Cortisol of 1.4 ug/dL (n 4.8-19.5 ug/dL), aldosterone &amp;lt;3 ng/dL (n &amp;lt;16 ng/dL), and ACTH 1071 pg/mL (n 7.2-63.3 pg/mL) leading to the diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency. He was started on physiologic doses of adrenal replacement hormones and discharged home in stable condition 4 days after his admission date. Conclusions A severe post-vaccination reaction should elicit physicians to look for an alternative diagnosis. Autoimmune adrenalitis is the most common cause of primary adrenal insufficiency and is uniquely associated with a long lag to diagnosis. The diagnosis is often made in the setting of an intervening illness or physiologic stressor when a patient's condition acutely deteriorates. Patients with known adrenal insufficiency should be reminded to address post-vaccination febrile reactions with an increase in glucocorticoid doses. Presentation: Saturday, June 11, 2022 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Higher nursing care level is associated with higher incidence of blood culture contamination in the emergency department: A case-control study.

Blood culture is critical in treating infectious diseases. This leads to unnecessary intervention, inappropriate antibiotic use, and excess cost. Few studies have tackled patient factors that could possibly affect contamination rates. This study aimed to explore the association between patients' nursing care levels and blood culture contamination. This is a single-centered, retrospective, case-control study of adult patients whose blood culture specimens were taken in the emergency department between April 2018 and July 2019. The study was conducted in an acute care community hospital in Japan. The case group included patients with false-positive blood culture results with contamination; the control group included patients with true-positive or true-negative blood culture results without contamination. We randomly selected two control patients per case. Patients' age, gender, nursing care level, ambulance use, housing status, Glasgow Coma Scale, hospital arrival time, and puncture sites were obtained from the patients' medical charts. Of the 5130 patients, 686 patients got positive blood culture results. Of the 686 patients, 35 patients were included in the case group, and 70 were randomly selected from the noncontaminated group and included in the control. In multivariate analysis, patients with contaminated blood cultures had a higher nursing care level (adjusted odds ratio: 8.50; 95% confidence interval: 1.65-43.7; p=0.01). A higher nursing care level is associated with a higher incidence of blood culture contamination in the emergency department. Careful and appropriate procedures are required for patients with a higher nursing care level.

Intravenous Smart Pumps at the Point of Care: A Descriptive, Observational Study.

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to advance understanding of intravenous (IV) smart pump medication administration practices using the Baxter Spectrum IQ. The primary objective was to observe adherence with manufacturer required IV smart pump system setup at the point of care during actual clinical use.MethodsThe study was conducted in a 285-bed acute care community hospital near Boston, Massachusetts. The study design was observational and noninterventional, and all data were collected by a single observer. Observations included measurement and documentation of adherence with the Baxter Spectrum IQ system setup requirements.ResultsA total of 200 primary and secondary IV medication administration observations were included: 101 in critical care and 99 in medical-surgical. Overall adherence was found to be: 6.5% with IV smart pump position relative to the patient (aim 1); 6.5% with required position of the primary infusion bag (aim 2); and 69.5% adherence with required position of the secondary medication infusion bag (aim 3). Additional exploratory data were also collected.ConclusionsThese results add to the emerging body of knowledge, which support that adherence to required system setup for head-height dependent IV smart pumps is low and difficult to achieve during actual clinical use. Consideration of alternative human factors–designed technology to replace the current manual setup requirements is needed to improve the process of acute care IV medication administration in this very important area of patient safety.

Evaluation of an oral care bundle for reduction of nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia in a community hospital

Objectives: We sought to determine the relationship between an oral-care bundle that includes use of new oral care devices, education of best practices for performing oral care, and daily audits to measure compliance with oral care best practices and the reduction of nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) and NV-HAP–associated sepsis and mortality outcomes. Methods: Havasu Regional Medical Center (HRMC) is a 171-bed acute-care community hospital in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The hospital inpatient units measured in this quasi-experimental study were the medical surgical telemetry ortho unit (MTSO), the intermediate care unit (IMC), and the ICU.There were 30,838 hospital patient days in 2021. NV-HAP were captured as patients coded as an NV-HAP and being discharged in 2021. Sepsis was captured as sepsis being documented with the source being identified as a NV-HAP with a discharge date in 2021. Mortality was captured by coding of an NV-HAP and mortality with a time of death documented in 2021. Results: From January 1, 2021, to June 4, 2021, during the baseline period before the oral-care bundle was implemented, HRMC had 12,415 patient days and experienced a NV-HAP rate of 1.2 per 1,000 patient days and a sepsis rate of 0.56 per 1,000 patient days with the source documented as NV-HAP, and mortality rate of 0.32 per 1,000 patient days with a code of NV-HAP. HRMC used June 5, 2021, as their implementation period of the bundle, which included a new oral-care device, multilevel education to staff on best practices for oral care, and daily audits to measure compliance with oral-care best practices. During the postimplementation period, HRMC had 18,413 patient days, a NV-HAP rate of 0.54 per 1,000 patient days, a sepsis rate of 0.33 per 1,000 patient days with source documented as NV-HAP, and a mortality rate of 0.16 per 1,000 patient days with a code for NV-HAP. Conclusions: From June 5, 2021, to December 31, 2021, after the implementation of the oral-care bundle, the NV-HAP rate decreased by 58%, the sepsis rate with source documented as NV-HAP decreased by 41%, and the morality rate documented as NV-HAP decreased by 50%. Hospital infection control programs should consider implementation of a robust oral-care bundle that includes best-practices education and auditing to monitor staff compliance as a potential strategy to reduce NV-HAP.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Providers: Policy Implications for Pandemic Recovery.

Background:Notably higher rates of mental health issues have been reported among healthcare providers (HCPs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns over the impact of policy decisions on the well-being of HCPs is growing, yet it remains underexplored in the literature.Method:HCPs from a 301-bed mental health hospital and a 408-bed acute care community hospital, both located in central Ontario, participated in interviews (N = 30) and answered open-ended questionnaires (N = 88) to provide their experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic.Results:Using interpretive description methods, we found that public health policies and other strategies intended to mitigate COVID-19 transmission variably impacted HCP well-being and professional practice.Discussion:Pandemic-related policies contributed to HCP stress by changing the healthcare environment and clinical practice. Understanding HCP experiences is key for leaders, policy makers and health system planners to deal with the current state, recovery and preparation for future pandemics. Direct input into policy development, implementation and evaluation from HCPs may support their well-being.

Factors affecting ADL performance of elderly patients with pneumonia in an acute care community hospital—The importance of early nutrition therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation—

Factors affecting ADL performance of elderly patients with pneumonia in an acute care community hospital—The importance of early nutrition therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation—

Asymptomatic latent syphilis in geriatric patients in association with stoke: Analysis using routine syphilis tests

IntroductionWe investigated the association between stroke and asymptomatic latent syphilis (ALS) in geriatric patients. MethodsThis retrospective observational study included patients aged >65 years who underwent routine qualitative rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and Treponema pallidum Latex Agglutination (TPLA) tests at a 161-bed community acute care hospital with long-term care facilities in Kamakura, Japan, from August 2014 to February 2019. Asymptomatic patients with a positive TPLA test result were diagnosed with ALS. Ninety-six patients with ALS were included in the study. Fifty-one patients (53.1%) had a positive RPR test. Comorbidities included hypertension (n = 44; 45.8%), chronic kidney disease (n = 44; 45.8%), and fracture (n = 29; 30.2%). No significant differences were found in sex, age, or comorbidities in univariate analyses. Multivariate analysis of the TPLA-positive geriatric patients revealed that a positive RPR test (odds ratio = 9.06; 95% confidence interval = 1.69–48.5; p = 0.01) was associated with a history of stroke. ConclusionsFor geriatric patients with ALS, a positive qualitative RPR test was associated with a history of stroke. Medical evaluation and management of the risk factors for stroke are more necessary for ALS with a positive RPR qualitative test.

59. Impact of Pharmacist-Led De-Escalation of MRSA Therapy Using MRSA Nasal PCR

BackgroundExperts suggest that a highly sensitive MRSA nasal PCR can be used to rule out MRSA pneumonia with a negative predictive value greater than 95%. At Adventist Health Glendale (AHGL), the MRSA nasal PCR had a 97% negative predictive value. Pharmacist-led de-escalation of MRSA therapy using MRSA nasal PCR may reduce unnecessary MRSA coverage, patient adverse events, and medication costs. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact on duration of antimicrobial therapy of pharmacist-driven de-escalation of MRSA-targeted antibiotics in pneumonia using MRSA nasal PCR.MethodsThis was a prospective quasi-experimental study (Oct 2018 – Mar 2019 vs. Oct 2019 – Mar 2020) at AHGL, a 515-bed acute care community hospital in Los Angeles, CA, which included adults on MRSA pneumonia agents (either IV vancomycin or IV/PO linezolid). Upon receiving CPOE orders of these MRSA-targeted therapies for pneumonia, the pharmacist ordered a MRSA nasal PCR per protocol for eligible patients, followed up with the results of the MRSA nasal PCR, and recommended to discontinue MRSA therapy if the MRSA nasal PCR was negative. This study received an exemption determination from AHGL IRB. ResultsThe total number of patients in the pre-protocol group was 97, and 155 in the post-protocol group. There was a statistically significant decrease in the median duration of MRSA pneumonia agents from the pre-protocol group compared to the post-protocol group (3 days vs. 2 days, P-value = 0.0004). Additionally, there was a statistically significant decrease in the median hospital length of stay from the pre-protocol group compared to the post-protocol group (9 days vs. 7 days, P-value = 0.02). ConclusionImplementation of a protocol involving pharmacist-led de-escalation of MRSA-targeted antibiotics for pneumonia utilizing MRSA nasal PCR led to significant decreases in both duration of therapy of MRSA-targeted antibiotics and length of hospital stay. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Retrospective Analysis of the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Emergency Department Walk-Out Rate in an Acute Care Community Hospital During the USA National Lockdown.

BackgroundThere are currently no data available that compares the volume and the walk-out rate of patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) peak pandemic period during the USA national lockdown.ObjectiveEDs measure metrics such as walk-out rate (WOR), which is reflected in leaving against medical advice (AMA), elopement, left after triage (LAFT), and left without being seen (LWBS). In this study, we sought to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ED WOR.MethodsA retrospective analysis was used to assess the overall ED census and the walk-out rate for three community EDs during the March to June 2020 national lockdown. This period was compared to the same period for 2019.ResultsThe walk-out rate during the COVID-19 pandemic was inversely proportional to the overall ED census. While overall ED visits decreased by 26% to 42% during the period of March to June 2020 as compared to March to June 2019, the patient walk-out rates increased from 25% to 65%.ConclusionThe national lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic created a paradoxical finding with a decrease in ED census but an increase in ED walk-out rates. This decline in census and increase in WOR raises concern that patients avoid going to the hospitals to seek medical attention because the concern of contracting the virus prevails, resulting in increased walkouts. With this retrospective study, we can anticipate that future newly discovered emerging diseases causing national lockdowns will result in a high probability of avoidance of emergency care.

Development of the Perception of Opioid Use Survey Instrument.

A new instrument was designed specifically to evaluate nurses' knowledge, attitude, and practice toward patients who use opioids. This study team developed and tested the psychometric properties of the Perception of Opioid Use Survey (POUS) instrument. The instrument was tested among 306 nurses at a 183 bed acute care community hospital, with psychometric evaluation for validity, reliability, and exploratory factor analysis. Internal consistency results were Cronbach's alpha = .550 for the overall scale and each subscale: Self-Efficacy = .796, Attitudes = .744, Community Impact = .806, and Causative Factors = .763. Psychometric testing results support that the POUS is valid, reliable, and significantly correlated with theoretically selected variables.

Elicitation of stakeholder viewpoints about medical cannabis research for pain management in critically ill ventilated patients: A Q-methodology study

To determine acceptability of medical cannabis research in critically ill patients. Q-methodology survey. Convenience sample of healthcare providers and the general public were recruited at an acute care community hospital in Ontario, Canada. In the first phase, 63 respondents provided 197 unique viewpoints in response to a topic statement about medical cannabis use in critically ill patients. Twenty-five viewpoints were selected for the q-sample. In the second phase, 99 respondents ranked these viewpoints according to an a priori quasi normal distribution ranging from +4 (most agree) to -4 (least agree). Factor analysis was combined with comments provided by survey respondents to label and describe the extracted factors. The factor labels were hoping and caring (factor 1), pragmatic progress (factor 2), and cautious/conservative and protectionist (factor 3). Factor 1 describes a viewpoint of unequivocal support for medical cannabis research in this population with few caveats. Factor 2 describes a viewpoint of cautious support with a need to monitor for unintended adverse effects. Factor 3 describes a viewpoint of ensuring that current analgosedation techniques are optimized before exposing patients to another potentially harmful drug. Using a q-methodology design, we were able to sample and describe the viewpoints that exist about medical cannabis research in critically ill patients. Three factors emerged that seemed to adequately describe the relative ranking of q-statements by the majority of respondents. Combining the distinguishing statements along with respondent comments allowed us to determine that the majority support medical cannabis research in critically ill patients.

Impact of a C. difficile infection (CDI) reduction bundle and its components on CDI diagnosis and prevention

Published bundles to reduce Clostridioides difficile Infection (CDI) frequently lack information on compliance with individual elements. We piloted a computerized clinical decision support-based intervention bundle and conducted detailed evaluation of several intervention-related measures. A quasi-experimental study of a bundled intervention was performed at 2 acute care community hospitals in Maryland. The bundle had five components: (1) timely placement in enteric precautions, (2) appropriate CDI testing, (3) reducing proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) use, (4) reducing high-CDI risk antibiotic use, and (5) optimizing use of a sporicidal agent for environmental cleaning. Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare measure differences. An interrupted time series analysis was used to evaluate impact on hospital-onset (HO)-CDI. Placement of CDI suspects in enteric precautions before test results did not change. Only hospital B decreased the frequency of CDI testing and reduced inappropriate testing related to laxative use. Both hospitals reduced the use of PPI and high-risk antibiotics. A 75% decrease in HO-CDI immediately postimplementation was observed for hospital B only. A CDI reduction bundle showed variable impact on relevant measures. Hospital-specific differential uptake of bundle elements may explain differences in effectiveness, and emphasizes the importance of measuring processes and intermediate outcomes.

Impact of hydroxychloroquine on disease progression and ICU admissions in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

DisclaimerIn an effort to expedite the publication of articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AJHP is posting these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.PurposeTo evaluate whether use of hydroxychloroquine was associated with a reduced likelihood of intensive care unit (ICU) admission in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the early weeks of the pandemic.MethodsA retrospective, observational, cohort study was conducted to determine selected treatment outcomes in 336 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at an acute care, community hospital in the Hudson Valley region of New York from March 20 to April 20, 2020. Eligibility included admission to the hospital, a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and no need for intubation or intensive care at admission. The median (interquartile range) ages of patients who received hydroxychloroquine (n = 188 ) and those who did not (n = 148) were 68 (58-82) and 64 (51-73) years, respectively. In a multivariable model that included age, gender, obesity, diabetes, and hydroxychloroquine use, patients who received hydroxychloroquine were significantly more likely than those not treated with the drug to be transferred to an ICU (odds ratio, [OR], 8.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.8-17) and significantly more likely to be intubated (OR, 7.99; 95% CI, 3.76-16.91); these associations were not influenced by disease severity. In-hospital mortality did not differ significantly with disease severity between those who did and those who did not receive hydroxychloroquine.ConclusionHydroxychloroquine use was significantly associated with increased risks of ICU admission and intubation in patients with mild, moderate, and severe symptoms of COVID-19. There were no significant between-group differences in mortality with use vs nonuse of hydroxychloroquine.