Frontline Clinicians Research Articles

Developing an implementation blueprint: Lessons learned from integrating electronic patient-reported outcomes in HIV clinics in Alabama.

People living with HIV are disproportionately affected by depression, anxiety, and substance use which impede engagement with HIV treatment services and can increase risks of HIV-related morbidity and mortality. Capturing timely, accurate patient data at point of care is recommended to inform clinical decision-making and retain patients on the HIV care continuum. Currently, there is limited use of validated screening tools for substance use and mental health at the point of care in HIV clinics, even though people with HIV (PWH) have a high prevalence of these comorbidities. Even fewer clinics screen in a manner that encourages disclosure of stigmatized substance use, depression, and anxiety. Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) are an evidence-based modality to overcome such limitations by eliciting responses directly from patients via tablet, smartphone, or computer. To date, there is limited consensus on how to implement ePROs into non-academic settings and enhance uptake. Our team sought to address this gap by examining the implementation of ePROs, previously implemented in an academic clinic, to enhance screening and treatment of mental health (MH) and substance use at five Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program-funded clinics in Alabama. The ePROs were delivered through a multi-component intervention titled HIV + Service delivery and Telemedicine through Effective Patient Reported Outcomes (+STEP), which also provides targeted training to frontline clinicians, and resources for MH and substance use treatment for PWH without access to care. The objective of this study is to provide an implementation blueprint that can be tested and utilized in other HIV clinics to integrate ePROs and increase evidence-based screening for depression, anxiety, and substance use among PWH, as well as outline lessons learned from implementation to date. The findings from this study provide practical steps and advice based on our experience in implementing electronic patient-reported outcomes in HIV clinics in the US Deep South.

Positive behaviour support in Irish residential services: Perspectives of frontline staff, management and clinicians on implementation challenges

ABSTRACT Background The current study explored the perspectives of staff working with adults with intellectual disabilities and behaviours that challenge. We sought insight into their understanding of procedural fidelity and challenges faced when implementing behaviour support. Method We interviewed 15 staff members supporting adults with intellectual disabilities in residential settings. Participants included five front-line staff, five residential managers, and five clinicians. Interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis conducted. Results Issues identified by the participants related to four main themes: (1) Organisational and environmental constraints; (2) Understanding and monitoring of procedural fidelity; (3) Theory versus practice; (4) There's nothing positive about behaviour support. Conclusion Across staff groups, lack of understanding of fidelity emerged, as well as minimal accountability regarding behaviour support. Front-line staff felt isolated and under pressure. Greater emphasis on partnership, practice leadership, and positive feedback may give front-line staff the support needed to use behavioural interventions with high fidelity.

Resilient health care performance in the real world: fixing problems that never happened

BackgroundStaff in health systems everywhere have exhibited flexibility and a capacity for improvisations during, and in response to, the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking to other examples of such resilient behaviours outside of those induced by the pandemic is instructive for those involved with researching or understanding change, or making health systems improvements.MethodsHere, we synthesise and then assess the value of eight case studies of in situ resilient performance from Canada, Sweden, Japan, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Norway, the United States and Brazil. The cases are divided into four categories: responsiveness to a crisis; adaptiveness over time; local adoption in accommodating to a top down, national policy change; and the consequential outcomes of an intervention.ResultsThe cases illuminate the resourcefulness of translational and social researchers in examining such behaviours and practices. More than that, they also foreground the ingenuity and adaptive capacity of staff on-the-ground who continually anticipate, respond and adapt to make systems work and provide continuous care in the face of many challenges, including resource deficiencies, policy misalignments, and new technologies, policies and procedures that need to be integrated into local workflows. Front line clinicians make care systems work, pre-empting issues and sorting out problems before they occur or as they arise.ConclusionsA key lesson amongst a range of findings is that, rather than focusing on shiny new tools of change (checklists, frameworks, policy mandates), it is much more insightful and satisfying to deeply apprehend care at the sharp end, where clinicians deliver care to patients, understanding how everyday work is executed. This, rather than the Health Ministry, the Boardroom, or the Management Consultant’s office, is where and how change is being enabled, and where street level actors solve problems, thwart issues in advance, and constantly avoid pitfalls.

Icodec ONWARDS: A review of the first once-weekly diabetes treatment for nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Diabetes management is challenged by the complexity of treatment regimens and the need for frequent injections, affecting patient adherence and quality of life. Insulin icodec, a once-weekly basal insulin analog, represents a significant innovation, potentially simplifying diabetes care and improving outcomes. This review aims to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and clinical implications of insulin icodec for individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, highlighting its potential to affect current treatment paradigms. A review was conducted comparing once-weekly insulin icodec with daily basal insulin analogs using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to ensure transparent reporting of systematic reviews. A search was performed in the following databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov, focusing on efficacy and safety outcomes. Insulin icodec has demonstrated effective glycemic management and a safety profile comparable to daily basal insulins. Its extended half-life and steady-state glucose-lowering effect have the potential to reduce the burden of daily injections and improve patient adherence. The introduction of once-weekly insulin icodec represents an advancement in diabetes care. For front-line clinicians, this innovation aligns with the need for more straightforward medication regimens. Coupled with continuous glucose monitoring systems, it enables a more personalized and efficient approach to diabetes management, with the potential to improve patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. This underscores the impact of integrating such advancements into practice, highlighting the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in adopting these innovations to optimize patient care.

Key challenges in prehospital and emergency care in Indonesia and Malaysia: a survey of frontline clinicians

Rapid economic growth in Indonesia and Malaysia has widened the gap in emergency care supply and demand, intensifying challenges. Our study, from August to November 2022, assesses current diverse challenges in both countries' emergency care systems from frontline staff perspectives. The online survey involved emergency department (ED) personnel from 11 hospitals in Indonesia and Malaysia, drawing from an existing network. The survey collected data on respondents’ characteristics, factors affecting prehospital and ED care quality, missing clinical information, and factors influencing patients’ ED stay duration. With 83 respondents from Indonesia and 109 from Malaysia, the study identified common challenges. In both countries, inadequate clinical information from ambulances posed a primary challenge in prehospital care quality, while crowdedness during night shifts affected ED care quality. Frequent gaps in essential clinical information, such as family and medication history, were observed. Prolonged ED stays were associated with diagnostic studies and their turnaround time. This study offers insights into shared challenges in Indonesia and Malaysia's emergency care systems. Our findings stress recognizing common and country-specific challenges for enhanced emergency care quality in Southeast Asia, supporting tailored interventions.

Peripheral intravenous catheter clinical care standard adherence in emergency departments: A qualitative study underpinned by the behaviour change wheel.

To explore the barriers and facilitators influencing emergency department clinicians' adherence to the Australian Peripheral Intravenous Catheter (PIVC) Clinical Care Standard, using the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW). Suboptimal PIVC practices are frequently linked to a range of patient-important adverse outcomes. The first Australian Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Clinical Care Standard was introduced in 2021, aiming to standardize practice. However, a recent national survey revealed a lack of adherence to the Standard among emergency department clinicians. A qualitative descriptive study. The study was conducted across two Australian emergency departments in 2023. Utilizing purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted. The analysis incorporated both deductive and inductive approaches, mapping the findings to the BCW. Interviews with 25 nurses and doctors revealed nine key subthemes. The main barriers were the stressful environment, insufficient education and training, and the absence of a feedback mechanism. The main facilitators were recognition of suboptimal practice, belief in the importance of patient engagement, and the desire to improve practice. Multiple complex factors have an impact on clinicians' adherence to the Standard. The identified interventions will serve as a guide for future implementation of the Standard. The findings inform healthcare organizations of the significance of implementing strategies to enhance clinicians' acceptance of the Standard. Clinicians should consider incorporating the multifaceted interventions developed in accordance with the BCW for future implementation projects. Promoting adherence to standards opens avenues to challenge suboptimal practice and has the potential to instigate a culture shift in the fundamental skills of frontline clinicians. The study is designed and reported according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist. No patient or public contribution.

Implementing TeleSleep at Veterans Healthcare Administration: an organizational case study of adaptation and sustainment.

Veteran access to sleep medicine is of paramount importance to the Veterans Health Administration (VA). To increase access, VA has created community referral policies and programs, as well as telehealth programs. In 2017, the Office of Rural Health (ORH) funded a TeleSleep initiative focused on reaching rural Veterans with unmet sleep needs. ORH provided 3-6 years of funding to help 19 hubs support 98 spoke sites serving rural Veterans. As ORH funding concluded, each hub identified its path to sustainment. This case study follows one TeleSleep hub in VA's western geographic region as it transitioned from ORH funding sustainment as a regional Sleep Clinical Resource Hub. This case study describes the real-world process of adaptation in care delivery strategies. One key area of adaptation revolved around whether to deliver care via the patient's home facility or the provider's home facility. In early 2021, the TeleSleep team implemented an innovative provider transfer model, where temporary reinforcements from the TeleSleep hub increased the workforce capacity of spoke sites, similar to the concept of locum tenens. In this provider transfer model, TeleSleep clinicians scheduled, documented, and billed for each encounter at the Veteran's home facility. Positioning TeleSleep clinicians as local providers facilitated communication and referrals and promoted continuity and quality of care for Veterans in their home facility. This provider transfer model reduced the administrative burden of providers and schedulers and supported patient-side-only documentation of care. While this mirrors current locum tenens practice, transferring providers did not fit VA's financial model as implemented by the western region's Sleep Clinical Resource Hub. Therefore, in December 2021, VA aligned TeleSleep with VA's preferred practice of patient rather than provider transfers. In the patient transfer model, providers schedule and document in both the provider and patient electronic health records, and bill in the provider's facility. However, reflecting on this period of innovation, TeleSleep team members concluded that the provider transfer model could improve patient safety and care coordination while reducing the administrative burden of frontline clinicians. Further research and development are needed to align the provider transfer model with VA's financial model.

Leveraging implementation science theories to develop and expand the use of a penicillin allergy de-labeling intervention

BackgroundPenicillin allergy is the most frequently reported drug allergy, yet most patients can tolerate the drug if challenged. Despite this discrepancy, large scale penicillin allergy de-labeling interventions have not been widely implemented in many health care systems. The application of a multi-method implementation science approach can provide key tools to study this evidence to practice gap and provide insight to successfully operationalize penicillin allergy evaluation in real-world clinical settings.MethodsWe followed a four-step process that leverages qualitative analysis to design evidence-based, actionable strategies to develop an intervention. First, we specified the clinician-perceived barriers to penicillin allergy de-labeling (intervention targets). We then mapped intervention targets onto Theoretical Domains Framework (domains and constructs) and found the root causes of behavior. Next, we linked root causes of behavior with intervention functions (BCW). In the final step, we synthesized participants’ suggestions for process improvement with implementation strategies aligning with the intervention functions.ResultsEvidence-based strategies such as focused education and training in penicillin allergy evaluation can address knowledge and confidence barriers reported by frontline clinicians. Other key strategies involve developing a system of champions, improving communications systems, and restructuring the healthcare team. Implementation mapping can provide a powerful multi-method framework to study, design, and customize intervention strategies. Conclusion: Empowering clinicians beyond allergy specialists to conduct penicillin allergy assessments requires designing new workflows and systems and providing additional knowledge to those clinicians.

Improving quality in adult long covid services: Findings from the LOCOMOTION quality improvement collaborative

The protracted form of COVID-19 known as ‘long covid’ was first described in 2020. Its symptoms, course and prognosis vary widely; some patients have a multi-system, disabling and prolonged illness. In 2021, ring-fenced funding was provided to establish 90 long covid clinics in England; some clinics were also established in Scotland and Wales. The NIHR-funded LOCOMOTION project implemented a UK-wide quality improvement collaborative involving ten of these clinics, which ran from 2021 to 2023. At regular online meetings held approximately 8-weekly, participants prioritised topics, discussed research evidence and guidelines, and presented exemplar case histories and clinic audits. A patient advisory group also held a priority-setting exercise, participated in quality meetings and undertook a service evaluation audit. The goal of successive quality improvement cycles aimed at changing practice to align with evidence was sometimes hard to achieve because definitive evidence did not yet exist in this new condition; many patients had comorbidities; and clinics were practically constrained in various ways. Nevertheless, much progress was made and a series of ‘best practice’ guides was produced, covering general assessment and management; breathing difficulties; orthostatic tachycardia and other autonomic symptoms; fatigue and cognitive impairment; and vocational rehabilitation. This paper summarises key findings with the frontline clinician in mind.

Patient safety and the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study of perspectives of front-line clinicians

IntroductionStudies on the impacts of COVID-19 on patient safety are emerging. However, few studies have elicited the perspectives of front-line clinicians.MethodsWe interviewed clinicians from 16 US hospitals who worked in...

Barriers and facilitators when seeking healthcare for septic children in Ghana: a single-centre qualitative study of patient caregivers and emergency department clinicians

Background/purposeSepsis is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality and healthcare utilisation for children worldwide, particularly in resource-limited regions. In Kumasi, Ghana, organ system failure and mortality in children who present...

Understanding uptake of information about innovations among emergency department clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, little was known about managing sick patients, but emergency department (ED) clinicians had to decide which treatments and care processes to adopt. Our objective was to describe how ED clinicians learned about innovations and how they assessed them for credibility during the pandemic. We purposively sampled clinicians from hospital-based EDs to conduct focus groups with ED clinicians and staff. We used both inductive and deductive approaches to conduct thematic analysis of transcripts. We conducted focus groups with clinicians from eight EDs across the United States. We found that ED clinicians in our sample relied on friends and colleagues or departmental and institutional leadership for information on innovations. They used social media sources when they came from credible accounts but did not directly seek information from professional societies. Clinicians reported a range of challenges to obtain credible information during the pandemic, including a fractured and changing information environment, policies misaligned across clinical sites or that conflicted with clinical knowledge, high patient volume, fear of harming patients, and untimely information. Facilitators included access to experienced and trusted colleagues and leaders and practicing at multiple EDs. Participants cited anecdotal evidence, institutional practice, and word-of-mouth-rather than peer-reviewed evidence and professional society communications-as their primary sources of information about care innovations during the early phases of the pandemic. These results underscore the importance of developing trusted local mechanisms and wider networks to identify and vet information for frontline clinicians during rapidly emerging public health emergencies.

Strategies used to detect and mitigate system-related errors over time: A qualitative study in an Australian health district

BackgroundElectronic medical record (EMR) systems provide timely access to clinical information and have been shown to improve medication safety. However, EMRs can also create opportunities for error, including system-related errors or errors that were unlikely or not possible with the use of paper medication charts. This study aimed to determine the detection and mitigation strategies adopted by a health district in Australia to target system-related errors and to explore stakeholder views on strategies needed to curb future system-related errors from emerging.MethodsA qualitative descriptive study design was used comprising semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from three hospitals within a health district in Sydney, Australia, between September 2020 and May 2021. Interviews were conducted with EMR users and other key stakeholders (e.g. clinical informatics team members). Participants were asked to reflect on how system-related errors changed over time, and to describe approaches taken by their organisation to detect and mitigate these errors. Thematic analysis was conducted iteratively using a general inductive approach, where codes were assigned as themes emerged from the data.ResultsInterviews were conducted with 25 stakeholders. Participants reported that most system-related errors were detected by front-line clinicians. Following error detection, clinicians either reported system-related errors directly to the clinical informatics team or submitted reports to the incident information management system. System-related errors were also reported to be detected via reports run within the EMR, or during organisational processes such as incident investigations or system enhancement projects. EMR redesign was the main approach described by participants for mitigating system-related errors, however other strategies, like regular user education and minimising the use of hybrid systems, were also reported.ConclusionsInitial detection of system-related errors relies heavily on front-line clinicians, however other organisational strategies that are proactive and layered can improve the systemic detection, investigation, and management of errors. Together with EMR design changes, complementary error mitigation strategies, including targeted staff education, can support safe EMR use and development.

Physician and Practice Characteristics Influencing Telemedicine Uptake Among Frontline Clinicians in the Early COVID-19 Pandemic Response: National Survey Study.

Telemedicine expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as key policy changes, financial support, and pandemic fears tipped the balance toward internet-based care. Despite this increased support and benefits to patients and clinicians, telemedicine uptake was variable across clinicians and practices. Little is known regarding physician and institutional characteristics underlying this variability. This study aimed to evaluate factors influencing telemedicine uptake among frontline physicians in the early pandemic response. We surveyed a national stratified sample of frontline clinicians drawn from the American Medical Association Physician Professional Data in June or July 2020. The survey inquired about the first month and most recent month (June 2020) of pandemic telemedicine use; sample data included clinician gender, specialty, census region, and years in practice. Local pandemic conditions were estimated from county-level data on COVID-19 rates at the time of survey response. Data were analyzed in a weighted logistic regression, controlling for county-specific pandemic data, and weighted to account for survey data stratification and nonresponse. Over the first 3-4 months of the pandemic, the proportion of physicians reporting use of telemedicine in >30% of visits increased from 29.2% (70/239) to 35.7% (85/238). Relative to primary care, odds of substantial telemedicine use (>30%) both during the first month of the pandemic and in June 2020 were increased among infectious disease and critical care physicians and decreased among hospitalists and emergency medicine physicians. At least minimal prepandemic telemedicine use (odds ratio [OR] 11.41, 95% CI 1.34-97.04) and a high 2-week moving average of local COVID-19 cases (OR 10.16, 95% CI 2.07-49.97) were also associated with substantial telemedicine use in June 2020. There were no significant differences according to clinician gender, census region, or years in practice. Prepandemic telemedicine use, high local COVID-19 case counts, and clinician specialty were associated with higher levels of substantial telemedicine use during the early pandemic response. These results suggest that telemedicine uptake in the face of the pandemic may have been heavily influenced by the level of perceived threat and the resources available for implementation. Such understanding has important implications for reducing burnout and preparation for future public health emergencies.

Implementation of a Co-Design Strategy to Develop a Dashboard to Support Shared Decision Making in Advanced Cancer and Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: Shared decision making (SDM) is the process by which patients and clinicians exchange information and preferences to come to joint healthcare decisions. Clinical dashboards can support SDM by collecting, distilling, and presenting critical information, such as patient-reported outcomes (PROs), to be shared at points of care and in between appointments. We describe the implementation strategies and outcomes of a multistakeholder collaborative process known as "co-design" to develop a PRO-informed clinical dashboard to support SDM for patients with advanced cancer or chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: Across 14 sessions, two multidisciplinary teams comprising patients, care partners, clinicians, and other stakeholders iteratively co-designed an SDM dashboard for either advanced cancer (N = 25) or CKD (N = 24). Eligible patients, care partners, and frontline clinicians were identified by six physician champions. The co-design process included four key steps: (1) define "the problem", (2) establish context of use, (3) build a consensus on design, and (4) define and test specifications. We also evaluated our success in implementing the co-design strategy using measures of fidelity, acceptability, adoption, feasibility, and effectiveness which were collected throughout the process. Results: Mean (M) scores across implementation measures of the co-design process were high, including observer-rated fidelity and adoption of co-design practices (M = 19.1 on a 7-21 scale, N = 36 ratings across 9 sessions), as well as acceptability based on the perceived degree of SDM that occurred during the co-design process (M = 10.4 on a 0 to 12 adapted collaboRATE scale). Capturing the feasibility and adoption of convening multistakeholder co-design teams, min-max normalized scores (ranging from 0 to 1) of stakeholder representation demonstrated that, on average, 95% of stakeholder types were represented for cancer sessions (M = 0.95) and 85% for CKD sessions (M = 0.85). The co-design process was rated as either "fully" or "partially" effective by 100% of respondents, in creating a dashboard that met its intended objective. Conclusions: A co-design process was successfully implemented to develop SDM clinical dashboards for advanced cancer and CKD care. We discuss key strategies and learnings from this process that may aid others in the development and uptake of patient-centered healthcare innovations.

Urinary Retention Evaluation and Catheterization Algorithm for Adult Inpatients

Acute urinary retention (UR) is common, yet variations in diagnosis and management can lead to inappropriate catheterization and harm. To develop an algorithm for screening and management of UR among adult inpatients. In this mixed-methods study using the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and qualitative interviews, an 11-member multidisciplinary expert panel of nurses and physicians from across the US used a formal multi-round process from March to May 2015 to rate 107 clinical scenarios involving diagnosis and management of adult UR in postoperative and medical inpatients. The panel ratings informed the first algorithm draft. Semistructured interviews were conducted from October 2020 to May 2021 with 33 frontline clinicians-nurses and surgeons from 5 Michigan hospitals-to gather feedback and inform algorithm refinements. Panelists categorized scenarios assessing when to use bladder scanners, catheterization at various scanned bladder volumes, and choice of catheterization modalities as appropriate, inappropriate, or uncertain. Next, qualitative methods were used to understand the perceived need, usability, and potential algorithm uses. The 11-member expert panel (10 men and 1 woman) used the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method to develop a UR algorithm including the following: (1) bladder scanners were preferred over catheterization for UR diagnosis in symptomatic patients or starting as soon as 3 hours since last void if asymptomatic, (2) bladder scanner volumes appropriate to prompt catheterization were 300 mL or greater in symptomatic patients and 500 mL or greater in asymptomatic patients, and (3) intermittent was preferred to indwelling catheterization for managing lower bladder volumes. Interview findings were organized into 3 domains (perceived need, feedback on algorithm, and implementation suggestions). The 33 frontline clinicians (9 men and 24 women) who reviewed the algorithm reported that an evidence-based protocol (1) was needed and could be helpful to clinicians, (2) should be simple and graphically appealing to improve rapid clinician review, and (3) should be integrated within the electronic medical record and prominently displayed in hospital units to increase awareness. The draft algorithm was iteratively refined based on stakeholder feedback. In this study using a systematic, multidisciplinary, evidence- and expert opinion-based approach, a UR evaluation and catheterization algorithm was developed to improve patient safety by increasing appropriate use of bladder scanners and catheterization. This algorithm addresses the need for practical guidance to manage UR among adult inpatients.

Quality Improvement Study Using a Machine Learning Mortality Risk Prediction Model Notification System on Advance Care Planning in High-Risk Patients

Background: Advance care planning (ACP) is an important aspect of patient care that is underutilized. Machine learning (ML) models can help identify patients appropriate for ACP. The objective was to evaluate the impact of using provider notifications based on an ML model on the rate of ACP documentation and patient outcomes. Methods: This was a pre-post QI intervention study at a tertiary academic hospital. Adult patients admitted to general medicine teams identified to be at elevated risk of mortality using an ML model were included in the study. The intervention consisted of notifying a provider by email and page for a patient identified by the ML model. Results: A total of 479 encounters were analyzed of which 282 encounters occurred post-intervention. The covariate-adjusted proportion of higher-risk patients with documented ACP rose from 6.0% at baseline to 56.5% (Risk Ratio (RR)= 9.42, 95% CI: 4.90 - 18.11). Patients with ACP were more than twice as likely to have code status reduced when ACP was documented (29.0% vs. 10.8% RR=2.69, 95% CI: 1.64 – 4.27). Additionally, patients with ACP had twice the odds of hospice referral (22.2% vs. 12.6% Odds Ratio=2.16, 95% CI: 1.16 – 4.01). However, patients with ACP documented had a longer mean LOS (9.7 vs. 7.6 days, Event time ratio = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.10 - 1.53). Conclusion: Provider notifications using an ML model can lead to an increase in completion of ACP documentation by frontline clinicians in the inpatient setting.

Timesavers: Clinical Decision Support and Automation of MRSA and VRE Deisolation

Background: Most healthcare facilities in the US apply contact precautions (CP) for patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection and/or colonization. Most individuals with MRSA or VRE colonization will clear over time; however, frontline clinicians rarely evaluate for discontinuation of CP, resulting in increased burden on infection preventionists (IPs). Automation of time- and test-based evaluation using clinical decision support systems (CDSS) embedded in electronic health records (EHR) may increase evaluation and discontinuation of CP when appropriate, while preserving IP resources. Methods: This quality improvement initiative was implemented at Mass General Brigham (MGB), an integrated healthcare system, where patients with MRSA or VRE infection/colonization are identified in the EHR with a corresponding “infection status” and CP applied. Following MGB policy (Figure 1), CDSS features included: 1) automated time-based resolution from 2/15/2023-11/13/2023 and 2) automated ordering of screening assays for patients eligible for test-based evaluation from 6/20/2023-11/14/2023 (Figure 2). Counts of CP discontinuation and automated ordering were performed. IPs at one MGB facility performing manual review of patients self-recorded the time spent evaluating for CP discontinuation. Using these time reports, the average time to complete these tasks and the projected time savings were calculated over the implementation period. Results: Four IPs recorded the time to review patients for CP discontinuation, including reviewing recent antimicrobial administration, microbiology results, ordering screening test(s), and contacting the primary team. Twenty-five patient encounters were timed with a mean of 4.7 minutes documented per encounter. Over a 9-month period after initiation of the automated time-based resolution, the monthly mean number of patients with CP for MRSA and VRE which were automatically discontinued was 247 and 100, respectively. Projected IP time savings over the same 9-month period for MRSA and VRE were 174.1 and 70.5 hours, respectively. Over a 5-month period after initiation of automated ordering of MRSA polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/culture, as well as VRE culture for test-based evaluation, the monthly mean number of MRSA culture, MRSA PCR, and VRE culture automatically ordered for patients on CP for MRSA and VRE were 176, 24, and 145, respectively. Projected IP time savings over the same 5-month period for MRSA and VRE were 78.3 and 56.8 hours, respectively.Conclusion: Healthcare systems that enhance their EHR with CDSS to automate CP evaluations may improve frontline clinician workflow, patient flow and bed capacity, while optimizing use of IP resources.

Perceptions on Penicillin Allergy Labels among Nurses and Prescribers in Three Pediatric Urgent Care Sites

Background: National guidelines recommend penicillins (PCN) as first-line treatment for many common pediatric infections in the outpatient setting. Although less than 1% of the United States population has a true, IgE-mediated PCN-allergy, approximately 10% of patients are labeled with a PCN-allergy. Accurate adverse drug reaction (ADR) documentation plays an important role in this over-labeling. We have previously shown that nurses feel assessment and documentation of PCN-allergies are critical to their role. However, additional evidence purports nurse hesitancy to interrogate allergy accuracy or reclassify parent’s response to side effect. Our objective was to explore frontline clinicians’ confidence in assessing, documenting, and responding to PCN-allergy labels. Methods: To expose barriers and prioritize improvement ideas for a multidisciplinary quality improvement (QI) project aimed to improve PCN-allergy labeling in our pediatric urgent care clinics, we deployed this investigator-developed survey to prescribers and nurses. It’s comprised of 14-questions scored on a 5-point Likert scale (4 demographic, 4 PCN/safety, 3 allergy types, 4 allergy documentations, 3 treatment options), and 1 optional free-text. We used descriptive statistics to compare survey responses between prescribers and nurses and evaluated free text comments for themes. Results: Eighty-seven clinicians across 3 sites participated, with a response rate of 35%, with variation by sites (25.3% to 41.4%). Forty-one percent of (n=36) responders have been in practice >15 years and 40.2% (n=35) have worked at our hospital > 15 years (Table 1). Overall, perceived knowledge of PCN-allergies and safety was favorable (Table 2). Prescribers reported higher confidence with: 1) perceiving many patients who believe they are allergic to PCN can safety take PCN (prescribers median=5 [IQR: 4, 5] vs. nurses median=4 [4,4], p = 0.003); and 2) perceiving that time pressures influenced their ability to reconcile allergies and side effects (prescribers median=4 [4, 5] vs. nurses median=3 [2, 4], p = 0.001). Both prescribers and nurses reported lower confidence in continuing to administer or prescribe an antibiotic in the setting of a reported ADR. Thirteen respondents (15%) provided comments with specific requests for additional family education and practice guidance, including the referral process to subspecialty clinics for PCN-allergy testing. Conclusions: Our survey results identified barriers to accurate PCN-allergy labels, including knowledge on documentation, time pressures, hesitancy to challenge parent report, and uncertainty on referral process for PCN-allergy testing. This survey will inform future drivers for our QI. Opportunities include electronic medical record refinement, improving referrals to PCN-allergy de-labeling clinics, and the development of scripted education to guide family discussions.Disclosure: Rana El Feghaly: Merck- grant funding. Amanda Nedved: Contracted Research – Merck

Delayed presentation is associated with serious bacterial infections among febrile infants: A prospective cohort study.

Febrile young infants are at risk of serious bacterial infections (SBIs), which are potentially life-threatening. This study aims to investigate the association between delayed presentation and the risk of SBIs among febrile infants. We performed a prospective cohort study on febrile infants ≤90 days old presenting to a Singapore paediatric emergency department (ED) between November 2017 and July 2022. We defined delayed presentation as presentation to the ED >24 hours from fever onset. We compared the proportion of SBIs in infants who had delayed presentation compared to those without, and their clinical outcomes. We also performed a multivariable logistic regression to study if delayed presentation was independently associated with the presence of SBIs. Among 1911 febrile infants analysed, 198 infants (10%) had delayed presentation. Febrile infants with delayed presentation were more likely to have SBIs (28.8% versus [vs] 16.3%, P<0.001). A higher proportion of infants with delayed presentation required intravenous antibiotics (64.1% vs 51.9%, P=0.001). After adjusting for age, sex and severity index score, delayed presentation was independently associated with the presence of SBI (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.78, 95% confidence interval 1.26-2.52, P<0.001). Febrile infants with delayed presentation are at higher risk of SBI. Frontline clinicians should take this into account when assessing febrile infants.