German University Hospitals Research Articles

Virologists' Sex- and Gender-Based Medical Knowledge of COVID-19 Affects Quality of Students' Education.

A sex- and gender-based approach to medical education is important to develop new knowledge and to improve quality of and equality within health care. Results of a systematic survey showed a lack of sex- and gender-based medical education at German medical faculties. The global severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is affecting people from diverse backgrounds differently, and the reciprocal interactions between biological sex and sociocultural gender aspects with regard to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) necessitate an intersectional research approach and transfer to medical education. This descriptive-phenomenological qualitative online survey focused on the sex and gender knowledge of faculty staff and the status of implementation in medical education and research at departments of virology and immunology at German university hospitals. It comprised 16 questions generated by an expert consortium based on published research data. In the fall of 2021, 36 leading virologists were invited to participate anonymously in this survey. The response rate was 44%. Most experts deemed sex and gender knowledge as not that important or not important. Almost half the lecturers supported a sex- and gender-based research design and sex-disaggregated analysis of animal study data. Biological sex differences and gender aspects regarding SARS-CoV-2 were at least occasionally addressed upon a student's request. Virologists attributed only minor importance to sex and gender knowledge, despite scientific evidence of sex and gender differences in the field of virology, immunology, and COVID-19 in particular. This knowledge is not systematically implemented in the curriculum, but rather only occasionally passed on to medical students.

Effect of undetectable PSA following SRT for biochemical recurrence on BPFS, FFM, and OS.

367 Background: Salvage radiotherapy (SRT) alone or in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the only curative treatment option for patients with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer. An undetectable post SRT PSA in patients without ADT (<0.1 ng/ml) has been shown retrospectively to correlate significantly with long-term freedom from progression, metastasis free survival and overall survival. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the predictive power of a post SRT-nadir <0.1 ng/ml extends to all subgroups of SRT patients. Methods: Between 1998 and 2018, 698 patients (all pN0/cN0) with persisting PSA or increasing PSA out of the undetectable range (<0.1 ng/ ml) of two German university hospitals received SRT alone without ADT. Exclusion criteria were distant metastases and/or ADT in the interval between RP and/or in combination with SRT. ADT before RP was allowed. All patients received 3D-conformal or intensity-modulated SRT to a median dose of 70.2 Gy. The impact of post-SRT nadir <0.1 ng/ml on biochemical progression free survival (BPFS), freedom from metastases (FFM) and on overall survival (OS) was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis. 9 subgroups with at least 30 patients per group were analyzed separately (pT2 + R0, pT3 + R0, pT3 + R1, pT2 + Gleason Score ≤ 7, pT3 + Gleason Score ≤ 7, pT3 + Gleason Score ≥ 8, pT3 + Gleason Score ≥ 7 + R1, pT3 + Gleason Score ≥ 7 + pre-SRT-PSA-Wert ≤1,0 ng/ ml and pT2/3 + Gleason Score ≥ 8 + pre-SRT-PSA-Wert ≤1,0 ng/ ml). Results: Median follow-up was 5.6 years. Median PSA before SRT was 0.30 ng/ ml. A post SRT PSA <0.1ng/ml was achieved by 76.6% of patients. In univariate analysis of the entire cohort, post SRT PSA <0.1 ng/ ml was a significant predictor of BPFS (p<0.001), FFM (p<0.001) and OS (p=0.01). Regarding univariate analysis of the subgroups, post SRT PSA <0.1ng/ml was a significant predictor of BPFS in all subgroups (p<0.001), FFM in 6 subgroups (p<0.001 to p=0.03) and for OS in 3 subgroups (p<0.001 to p=0.02). In multivariate analysis of the entire cohort, post-SRT PSA <0.1ng/ml was an independent predictor for BPFS (HR: 7.25, 95%-CI: 5.36-9.81, p<0.001), FFM (HR: 4.21, 95%-CI: 2.00-8.84, p=0.002) and OS (HR: 2.59, 95%-CI: 1.28-5.23, p=0.008). Conclusions: Achieving an undetectable PSA after SRT is an independent predictor of BPFS, FFM and OS. This effect is present in subgroups with favorable (pT2+Gleason score ≤ 7) as well as in those with unfavorable characteristics (pT3+ Gleason score >8). Our findings indicate that ADT could be withheld in a proportion of patients that are candidates for ADT based on their risk factors but achieve an undetectable PSA after SRT. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these results.

Advancing the diversity and inclusion agenda in healthcare organizations: The case of German university hospitals

Introduction: Diversity and inclusion (D&I) challenges in the hospital workforce continue to pose threats to an inclusive work environment. Acknowledging the benefits of a diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce, the Association of German University Hospitals signed the German Diversity Charter to encourage its member hospitals to apply policies to cultivate such a workplace. This policy brief explores the implementation of D&I policies aligned with the Charter in six university hospitals in Germany, aiming to identify the policy gaps and provide recommendations for improvement. Policy Options: The Charter´s commitments include a shared organizational vision of D&I as a source of great potential and the significant support of the senior management. It also includes D&I in employment processes, open communication about policies, and active employee engagement. Overall, a comprehensive D&I strategy has been shown to be vital for sustainable change. However, not all the hospitals have signed it, nor do all fully adhere to its policies. Therefore, recommendations are provided for the Association to support their constituents in working toward comprehensive D&I policies. Recommendations: Most importantly, the Association should further promote D&I awareness, enhance the support to the hospitals to improve D&I activities, and lead and monitor the implementation and outcomes of the adopted D&I strategies and policies. The comprehensive approach includes transparency; measurement and evaluation to assess the successes and failures of the strategies; the commitment by senior management to D&I efforts; and bottom-up involvement for employees to share their concerns and get involved.

Association of cerebrospinal fluid brain-binding autoantibodies with cognitive impairment in post-COVID-19 syndrome

BackgroundNeurological symptoms, in particular cognitive deficits, are common in post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS). There is no approved therapy available, and the underlying disease mechanisms are largely unknown. Besides others, autoimmune processes may play a key role. DesignWe here present data of a prospective study conducted between September 2020 and December 2021 and performed at two German University hospitals with specialized Neurology outpatient clinics. Fifty patients with self-reported cognitive deficits as main complaint of PCS and available serum and CSF samples were included. Cell-based assays and indirect immunofluorescence on murine brain sections were used to detect autoantibodies against intracellular and surface antigens in serum and CSF and analyzed for associations with cognitive screening assessment. ResultsClearly abnormal cognitive status (MoCA ≤ 25/30 points) was only seen in 18/50 patients with self-reported cognitive deficits. Most patients (46/50) had normal routine CSF parameters. anti-neuronal autoantibodies were found in 52 % of all patients: n = 9 in serum only, n = 3 in CSF only and n = 14 in both, including those against myelin, Yo, Ma2/Ta, GAD65 and NMDA receptor, but also a variety of undetermined epitopes on brain sections. These included cerebral vessel endothelium, Purkinje neurons, granule cells, axon initial segments, astrocytic proteins and neuropil of basal ganglia or hippocampus as well as a formerly unknown perinuclear rim pattern. Pathological MoCA results were associated with the presence of anti-neuronal antibodies in CSF (p = 0.0004). ConclusionsAutoantibodies targeting brain epitopes are common in PCS patients and strongly associate with pathological cognitive screening tests, in particular when found in CSF. Several underlying autoantigens still await experimental identification. Further research is needed to inform on the clinical relevance of these autoantibodies, including controlled studies that explore the potential efficacy of antibody-depleting immunotherapy in PCS.

Information Technology Systems for Infection Control in German University Hospitals-Results of a Structured Survey a Year into the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pandemic.

Digitalization is playing a major role in mastering the current coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, several outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in German hospitals last year have shown that many of the surveillance and warning mechanisms related to infection control (IC) in hospitals need to be updated. The main objective of the following work was to assess the state of information technology (IT) systems supporting IC and surveillance in German university hospitals in March 2021, almost a year into the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. As part of the National Research Network for Applied Surveillance and Testing project within the Network University Medicine, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the situation of IC IT systems in 36 university hospitals in Germany. Among the most prominent findings were the lack of standardization of IC IT systems and the predominant use of commercial IC IT systems, while the vast majority of hospitals reported inadequacies in the features their IC IT systems provide for their daily work. However, as the pandemic has shown that there is a need for systems that can help improve health care, several German university hospitals have already started this upgrade independently. The deep challenges faced by the German health care sector regarding the integration and interoperability of IT systems designed for IC and surveillance are unlikely to be solved through punctual interventions and require collaboration between educational, medical, and administrative institutions.

Characterization of subdural collections in initial neuroimaging of abusive head trauma: Implications for forensic age diagnostics and clinical decision-making

PurposeSubdural collections (SDCs) represent a key finding in abusive head trauma (AHT), a serious form of child physical abuse. Common SDC entities in this context are subdural hematoma (SDH), subdural hygroma (SDHy), subdural hematohygroma (SDHHy), and chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH). The present study examines the prevalence of the different SDC entities and investigates the influence of the SDC diagnosis on the forensic age estimation of the injury. MethodsIn this retrospective multi-center study from three German university hospitals of a 10-year period, the initial neuroimaging material (CT or MRI) of 56 children (36 males, 20 females; age median 3.9 months) with medico-legally well-documented AHT was analyzed. SDCs were characterized by determining presence, location, extension, and visual appearance, by assigning to one of the five entities, and by categorizing with three different classification systems, one of which represents a novel system based on focality and Mixed Appearance Pattern and especially developed for children with AHT. The data were correlated with demographic and clinical data. By means of court files, AHT cases were also sub-divided into confession (n = 14) and non-confession cases (n = 42) and then compared. ResultsMost cases showed a multifocal presence of SDCs (96.4%) and the presence of a Mixed Appearance Pattern (82.1%). The most common SDC entity was the heterogeneous variant of the SDHHy (66.1%). The cSDH occurred infrequently only (3.6%). Our novel classification system illustrates that unifocal SDCs rarely occur in AHT, and that more complex SDC patterns are common. In nearly all cases (94.6%), additional signs of recently caused brain injury were present beside the SDCs. Comparison between confession and non-confession groups did not reveal any significant differences, indicating that the diagnostic criteria of AHT are robust. ConclusionsAlthough precise dating of SDCs based on initial neuroimaging alone remains unrealistic, the exact diagnosis of the SDC entity provide an important basis for differentiation between acute trauma and chronic post-traumatic state. Therefore, especially the confirmation or exclusion of subdural neomembranes, that define the cSDH, should be considered indispensable.

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium: admission prevalence, sequence types and risk factors–a cross-sectional study in seven German university hospitals from 2014 to 2018

ObjectivesAssessment of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) prevalence upon hospital admission and analysis of risk factors for colonization. MethodsFrom 2014 to 2018, patients were recruited within 72 hours of admission to seven participating German university hospitals, screened for VREfm and questioned for potential risk factors (prior multidrug-resistant organism detection, current/prior antibiotic consumption, prior hospital, rehabilitation or long-term care facility stay, international travel, animal contact and proton pump inhibitor [PPI]/antacid therapy). Genotype analysis was done using cgMLST typing. Multivariable analysis was performed. ResultsIn 5 years, 265 of 17,349 included patients were colonized with VREfm (a prevalence of 1.5%). Risk factors for VREfm colonization were age (adjusted OR [aOR], 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.03), previous (aOR, 2.71; 95% CI, 1.87–3.92) or current (aOR, 2.91; 95% CI, 2.60–3.24) antibiotic treatment, prior multidrug-resistant organism detection (aOR, 2.83; 95% CI, 2.21–3.63), prior stay in a long-term care facility (aOR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.62–2.97), prior stay in a hospital (aOR, 2.91; 95% CI, 2.05–4.13) and prior consumption of PPI/antacids (aOR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.18–1.41). Overall, the VREfm admission prevalence increased by 33% each year and 2% each year of life. 250 of 265 isolates were genotyped and 141 (53.2%) of the VREfm were the emerging ST117. Multivariable analysis showed that ST117 and non-ST117 VREfm colonized patients differed with respect to admission year and prior multidrug-resistant organism detection. DiscussionAge, healthcare contacts and antibiotic and PPI/antacid consumption increase the individual risk of VREfm colonization. The VREfm admission prevalence increase in Germany is mainly driven by the emergence of ST117.

Intrapartum Epidural Anesthesia and Obstetric Outcome in Nulliparous Women with Term Labor: An analysis of 2 years’ Experience

Aim: to ascertain whether labour profiles and delivery outcomes of nulliparous women who received epidural analgesia were comparable to those of women whose labour was managed with alternative forms of pain relief. Patients and Methods: a prospective, randomised, controlled clinical study carried out in Saudi German and Elhussine University hospitals. Recruitment was open to 100 nulliparous women planning a vaginal delivery of a term singleton foetus. Results: 100 women, with gestational age of 37–41 completed weeks, were chosen at random to receive either continuous epidural analgesia (EPI) or alternative forms of pain relief (NEPI). Compared to the EPI group, the NEPI group's labour took less time to deliver (P<0.05). The first stage's mean duration was 3.7 ± 1.1 hours compared to 4.8 ± 3.1 hours (P < 0.05), while the second stage's mean duration was 102.4 ± 9.3 minutes compared to 132.1 ± 15.8 minutes (p < 0.05). The mean NEPI dose of oxytocin was 10.5 ± 2.3 units, while the mean EPI dose was 15.6 ± 2.5 units (p < 0.05). While NEPI groups had higher rates of spontaneous vaginal deliveries and caesarean sections than EPI groups, NEPI groups required fewer surgical deliveries overall (p < 0.05). VAS scores during labour were less significantly in EPI group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Regardless of their intention to labour, nulliparous women use epidural analgesia frequently. Other pain management techniques are linked to a slight but statistically significant decrease in the average length of labour and the rate of surgical delivery in women who do not plan to use epidural analgesia as their primary analgesic modality.

Foreign Healthcare Professionals in Germany: A Questionnaire Survey Evaluating Discrimination Experiences and Equal Treatment at Two Large University Hospitals.

To identify facilitators and barriers and derive concrete measures towards better workplace integration of migrants working in the German healthcare sector. Two-centre cross-sectional quantitative online survey of experiences of discrimination among healthcare professionals with a migration history in two large German university hospitals. 251 participants fully completed the questionnaires. Experiences of discrimination and perception of inequality. Fifty-five percent of migrant health workers had had at least some command of German before arriving in Germany. Members of all professional groups surveyed expressed experiences of discrimination related to language, nationality, race/ethnicity, and sex/gender. The proportions of staff with experiences of discrimination by peers differed significantly among occupational roles, with nurses and technologists having the most experiences of discrimination. The perception of inequality was reported more frequently than experiences of discrimination and had a negative impact on workplace satisfaction. Specifically, the compulsion to compete was a frequent feeling stated by participants. The mechanisms of discrimination and structural inequality revealed by our survey could inform specific measures, for example at the management level, to increase workplace satisfaction and attract migrant health workers in the long term.

A mixed-integer slacks-based measure data envelopment analysis for efficiency measuring of German university hospitals

Standard Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models consider continuous-valued and known input and output statuses for measures. This paper proposes an extended Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) DEA model to accommodate flexible (a measure that can play the role of input and output) and integer measures simultaneously. A flexible measure’s most appropriate role (designation) is determined by maximizing the technical efficiency of each unit. The main advantage of the proposed model is that all inputs, outputs, and flexible measures can be expressed in integer values without inflation of efficiency scores since they are directly calculated by modifying input and output inefficiencies. Furthermore, we illustrate and examine the application of the proposed models with 28 university hospitals in Germany. We investigate the differences and common properties of the proposed models with the literature to shed light on both teaching and general inefficiencies. Results of inefficiency decomposition indicate that “Third-party funding income” that university hospitals receive from the research-granting agencies dominates the other inefficiencies sources. The study of the efficiency scores is then followed up with a second-stage regression analysis based on efficiency scores and environmental factors. The result of the regression analysis confirms the conclusion derived from the inefficiency decomposition analysis.

An ETL-process design for data harmonization to participate in international research with German real-world data based on FHIR and OMOP CDM

BackgroundInternational studies are increasingly needed in order to gain more unbiased evidence from real-world data. To achieve this goal across the European Union, the EMA set up the DARWIN EU project based on OMOP CDM established by the OHDSI community. The harmonization of heterogeneous local health data in OMOP CDM is an essential step to participate in such networks. Using the widespread communication standard HL7 FHIR can reduce the complexity of the transformation process to OMOP CDM. Enabling German university hospitals to participate in such networks requires an Extract, Transform and Load (ETL)-process that satisfies the following criteria: 1) transforming German patient data from FHIR to OMOP CDM, 2) processing huge amount of data at once and 3) flexibility to cope with changes in FHIR profiles. MethodA mapping of German patient data from FHIR to OMOP CDM was accomplished, validated by an interdisciplinary team and checked through the OHDSI Data Quality Dashboard (DQD). To satisfy criteria 2–3, we decided to use SpringBatch-Framework according to its chunk-oriented design and reusable functions for processing large amounts of data. ResultsWe have successfully developed an ETL-process that fulfills the defined criteria of transforming German patient data from FHIR into OMOP CDM. To measure the validity of the mapping conformance and performance of the ETL-process, it was tested with 392,022 FHIR resources. The ETL execution lasted approximately-one minute and the DQD result shows 99% conformance in OMOP CDM. ConclusionsOur ETL-process has been successfully tested and integrated at 10 German university hospitals. The data harmonization utilizing international recognized standards like FHIR and OMOP fosters their ability to participate in international observational studies. Additionally, the ETL process can help to prepare more German hospitals with their data harmonization journey based on existing standards.

Positive Predictive Factors for Urogenital Injuries in Severely Injured Patients with Pelvic and Spinal Fractures: Introducing the UPPS Scoring System.

Background and Objectives: Although urogenital injuries are common in severely injured patients, their diagnosis is often delayed. Predicting genitourinary injuries (GUI), especially in the immediate stages post injury, remains a challenge. This study aims to evaluate and determine positive predictive factors for the presence of GUI in polytrauma patients. Subsequently, these factors shall be used to develop an easy-to-use scoring system, deployable directly in the emergency setting. Materials and Methods: This study evaluates all severely injured patients with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 16 admitted to the emergency departments of two German university hospitals between 2016 and 2020. These patients were retrospectively scanned for injuries of the thoracic and/or lumbar spine and/or the pelvic girdle. Demographic data was analyzed alongside trauma mechanism, type of injuries, mortality, length of hospital stays, surgeries, laboratory results, and urological treatment. Subgroup analysis was performed to compare patients with and without GUIs using t-tests. Conducting a binary logistic regression model, the significant factors were combined to create a scoring system, which was further analyzed for accuracy. Results: In total, 413 patients with an average ISS of 33.8 ± 15.0 were identified, and 47 patients (11.4%) sustained urogenital injuries with an average Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score of 2.3 ± 1.1 (range: 1−5). The severity of the pelvic girdle injury correlated with the presence of urogenital injuries (p = 0.002), while there was no correlation with spinal injuries. Moreover, most GUIs resulted from motorcycle accidents (p < 0.001) and 87.2% of these patients were male. Patients with GUI were significantly more likely to show macrohematuria (p < 0.001) on admission and were more severely injured overall (ISS > 34). There was no significant difference in the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, the days until discharge, or death rates. Conclusions: Factors or circumstances which reliably predict the presence of GUI were found to include the male sex, a motorcycle accident, high severity of pelvic girdle fractures, macrohematuria on admission to the emergency department, and an ISS > 34. With these findings, we introduce the ‘Urotrauma in Polytrauma patients with Pelvic and/or Spinal injuries’ (UPPS) score for easier prediction of GUI in the emergency setting.

COVID-19-Impfstrategien für Beschäftigte deutscher Kliniken: Ergebnisse einer Befragung von Leitungen der (Krankenhaus‑)Hygiene im Rahmen des B-FAST-Projektes

ZusammenfassungHintergrund und ZielZu Beginn der COVID-19-Impfkampagne in Deutschland wurden Beschäftigte in medizinischen Einrichtungen aufgrund des hohen Expositionsrisikos und des Kontakts mit vulnerablen Gruppen priorisiert gegen SARS-CoV‑2 geimpft. Die Krankenhäuser waren angehalten die Impfungen ihrer Beschäftigten möglichst schnell zu organisieren und durchzuführen. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war es, die Impfstrategie für die Mitarbeitenden deutscher Kliniken zu erfassen.MethodenIn einer Querschnittstudie mit selbstentwickeltem Fragebogen wurden die Leitungen der (Krankenhaus‑)Hygiene aller deutschen Universitätskliniken sowie der Nicht-Universitätskliniken in Niedersachsen und Bayern im März 2021 befragt. Die Daten wurden nach den beiden Versorgungsstufen stratifiziert.Ergebnisse100 von 416 versendeten Fragebögen wurden vollständig ausgefüllt (Universitätsklinik: 33, Nicht-Universitätsklinik: 67). Universitätskliniken berichteten von einer größeren Impfkapazität als Nicht-Universitätskliniken, ein begrenzender Faktor waren die ungewissen Impfstofflieferungen. 89 % der Kliniken planten Informationskampagnen zum Thema Impfung oder hatten diese bereits durchgeführt. 70 % gaben an, keine Antikörpertests bei geimpften Beschäftigten durchführen zu wollen. Eine Nachverfolgung geimpfter Beschäftigter zur Detektion möglicher SARS-CoV-2-Infektionen mittels Erregernachweis durch PCR wurde von 41 % geplant. Im Falle des Nachweises einer SARS-CoV-2-Infektion bei geimpften Beschäftigten hatten 72 % weitere Diagnostik geplant.DiskussionAlle Krankenhäuser konnten eine schnelle Umsetzung der COVID-19-Vakzinierung ihrer Beschäftigten erreichen. Zum Zeitpunkt der Befragung gab es große Unsicherheit bezüglich des Umgangs mit Durchbruchsinfektionen und der Notwendigkeit von Auffrischimpfungen.

The use and future perspective of Artificial Intelligence-A survey among German surgeons.

PurposeClinical abundance of artificial intelligence has increased significantly in the last decade. This survey aims to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge and acceptance of AI applications among surgeons in Germany.MethodsA total of 357 surgeons from German university hospitals, academic teaching hospitals and private practices were contacted by e-mail and asked to participate in the anonymous survey.ResultsA total of 147 physicians completed the survey. The majority of respondents (n = 85, 52.8%) stated that they were familiar with AI applications in medicine. Personal knowledge was self-rated as average (n = 67, 41.6%) or rudimentary (n = 60, 37.3%) by the majority of participants. On the basis of various application scenarios, it became apparent that the respondents have different demands on AI applications in the area of “diagnosis confirmation” as compared to the area of “therapy decision.” For the latter category, the requirements in terms of the error level are significantly higher and more respondents view their application in medical practice rather critically. Accordingly, most of the participants hope that AI systems will primarily improve diagnosis confirmation, while they see their ethical and legal problems with regard to liability as the main obstacle to extensive clinical application.ConclusionGerman surgeons are in principle positively disposed toward AI applications. However, many surgeons see a deficit in their own knowledge and in the implementation of AI applications in their own professional environment. Accordingly, medical education programs targeting both medical students and healthcare professionals should convey basic knowledge about the development and clinical implementation process of AI applications in different medical fields, including surgery.

Surveillance and Genomic Analysis of Third-Generation Cephalosporin-Resistant and Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Complex in Germany

To analyse the epidemiology and population structure of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GCR) and carbapenem-resistant (CR) Klebsiella pneumoniae complex isolates, patients were screened for rectal colonisation with 3GCR/CR K. pneumoniae complex on admission to six German university hospitals (2016–2019). Also collected were 3GCR/CR and susceptible K. pneumoniae isolates from patients with bloodstream infections (2016–2018). Whole-genome sequencing was performed followed by multilocus sequencing typing (MLST), core-genome MLST, and resistome and virulome analysis. The admission prevalence of 3GCR K. pneumoniae complex isolates during the 4-year study period was 0.8%, and 1.0 bloodstream infection per 1000 patient admissions was caused by K. pneumoniae complex (3GCR prevalence, 15.1%). A total of seven K. pneumoniae complex bloodstream isolates were CR (0.8%). The majority of colonising and bloodstream 3GCR isolates were identified as K. pneumoniae, 96.7% and 98.8%, respectively; the remainder were K. variicola and K. quasipneumoniae. cgMLST showed a polyclonal population of colonising and bloodstream isolates, which was also reflected by MLST and virulome analysis. CTX-M-15 was the most prevalent extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, and 29.7% of the colonising and 48.8% of the bloodstream isolates were high-risk clones. The present study provides an insight into the polyclonal 3GCR K. pneumoniae population in German hospitals.

Respiratory therapy at auniversity hospital: evaluation of ajob profile

Respiratory therapists (RT) perform various tasks, including the care of patients, diagnostics, support for therapy and care, training and education as well as optimization of structures and processes. It is unclear to what extent the various activities are performed at German university hospitals and how trained employees evaluate the service. Description of activities of RT at a university hospital and evaluation of microlearning of employees. Data were collected in aprospective mixed method study over 6months. Primary outcome was the number of RT activities. Secondary outcome was the evaluation of microlearning as evaluated by employees with regard to benefits for personal knowledge gain, practical application, and for benefits for patients on scales of 1-10 (1 = very bad, 10 = very good). During the 6‑month study period, RT were called for atotal of 1674 consultations and carried out 2274 activities; the three most common activities accounted for 45% (n = 1037) of all activities and included the following: 20.1% (n = 461) adjustment of non-invasive ventilation, 13.1% (n = 299) secretion management, and 12.2% (n = 277) protocolized weaning. In all, 111RTs rated microlearning as very good 111 employees with amedian of 9.8 (interquartile range 9-10). About 74% of the working time was spent in direct care and education on the wards. The job profile of RTs is complex, is associated with responsibility, and is largely located in direct patient care. Bedside microlearning courses for RTs may be an innovative opportunity to expand the competencies of employees.

Development of a screening tool for the need of specialist palliative care in oncologic inpatients: study protocol for the ScreeningPALL Study

IntroductionA range of referral criteria and scores have been developed in recent years to help with screening for the need of specialist palliative care (SPC) in advanced, incurable cancer patients....

Usability of Electronic Health Records in Germany - An Overview of Satisfaction of University Hospital Physicians.

EHR are a part of daily task of physicians in Germany. This study surveyed the satisfaction of a small group of physicians in German university hospitals using EHR with focus on usability. The questioning was carried out by an online survey. Addressed were all physicians working at university hospitals in Germany. The study showed that users are not satisfied with EHR (Grade 3.62). They pointed out some problems in general but reflected many advantages of those systems. EHR systems have to develop and adopt to users' tasks. They have to get faster and low error rates must be realized. Existing infrastructure must be improved and rolled out to users especially in times where digital healthcare services gain importance.

Using the Global Trigger Tool in surgical and neurosurgical patients: A feasibility study.

BackgroundThe Global Trigger Tool (GTT) has become a worldwide used method for estimating adverse events through a retrospective patient record review. However, little is known about the facilitators and the challenges in the GTT-implementation process. Thus, this study followed two aims: First, to apply a comprehensive set of feasibility criteria to qualitatively and systematically assess the GTT-implementation process in three departments of German university hospitals. Second, to identify the facilitators and the obstacles met in the GTT-implementation process and to derive recommendations for supporting other hospitals in implementing the GTT in clinical practice.MethodsThe study used a qualitative documentary method based on process documentation, with written and verbal feedback from the reviewer, as well as evaluating the study sites during the implementation process. The study was conducted in three departments, each in a different German university hospital. The authors applied a comprehensive set of 22 feasibility criteria assessing the level of challenge in GTT implementation. The results were synthesized and they focused on the facilitators and the challenges.ResultsOf these 22 feasibility criteria, nine were assessed as a low-level challenge, eleven regarded as a moderate-level challenge, and two with a problematic level of challenge. In particular, the lack of time and staff resources, the quality of the information in the patient records, organizational procedures, and local issues, posed major challenges in the implementation process. By contrast, the use of local coordinators and an external expert made important contributions to the GTT implementation.ConclusionsConsidering the facilitators and the obstacles beforehand may help with the implementation of the GTT in routine practice. In particular, early and effective planning can reduce or prevent critical challenges in terms of time, staff resources, and organizational aspects.

DQAgui: a graphical user interface for the MIRACUM data quality assessment tool

BackgroundWith the growing impact of observational research studies, there is also a growing focus on data quality (DQ). As opposed to experimental study designs, observational research studies are performed using data mostly collected in a non-research context (secondary use). Depending on the number of data elements to be analyzed, DQ reports of data stored within research networks can grow very large. They might be cumbersome to read and important information could be overseen quickly. To address this issue, a DQ assessment (DQA) tool with a graphical user interface (GUI) was developed and provided as a web application.MethodsThe aim was to provide an easy-to-use interface for users without prior programming knowledge to carry out DQ checks and to present the results in a clearly structured way. This interface serves as a starting point for a more detailed investigation of possible DQ irregularities. A user-centered development process ensured the practical feasibility of the interactive GUI. The interface was implemented in the R programming language and aligned to Kahn et al.’s DQ categories conformance, completeness and plausibility.ResultsWith DQAgui, an R package with a web-app frontend for DQ assessment was developed. The GUI allows users to perform DQ analyses of tabular data sets and to systematically evaluate the results. During the development of the GUI, additional features were implemented, such as analyzing a subset of the data by defining time periods and restricting the analyses to certain data elements.ConclusionsAs part of the MIRACUM project, DQAgui is now being used at ten German university hospitals for DQ assessment and to provide a central overview of the availability of important data elements in a datamap over 2 years. Future development efforts should focus on design optimization and include a usability evaluation.