Standardized Infection Ratio Research Articles

Abstract TP85: A Collaborative Approach In The Reduction Of Hospital Acquired Infections In A Neuroscience ICU

Intro: HAIs such as catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) increase morbidity, mortality, healthcare cost, and account for a significant burden of patient harm. We describe efforts between nursing, Infection Prevention (IP), and clinicians in the reduction of HAI-CAUTIs and HAI-CLABSIs on a neuroscience intensive care unit (NeuroICU) in an academic acute care hospital. Methods: Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Targeted Assessment for Prevention (TAP) framework [Target, Assess, Prevent], IP identified the Neuro-ICU as having an excess burden of HAI-CAUTIs and HAI-CLABSIs and facilitated interdisciplinary engagement. In partnership, nursing, IP, and Neuro-ICU clinicians, developed action plans focused on foley catheter (FC) and central line (CL) utilization, FC bundle compliance, FC maintenance competency validation, and training on central line maintenance. Monthly meetings to discuss progress and identify barriers were performed. Neuro-ICU clinicians and nurse managers performed device rounds twice a day to discuss device necessity utilizing a nurse-driven protocol, and verified FC and CL removal. This project used the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) healthcare-associated infection (HAI) tracking system to compute standardized infection ratios, HAI events, FC utilization, and CL utilization. CLABSI and CAUTI bundle compliance were evaluated using an electronic audit tool. Staff competency validation and education attendance were tracked. The project period was from September 2020-July 2021 for CAUTI and January 2021-July 2021 for CLABSI. Results: HAI-CAUTI events decreased from 6 to 1, the standardized infection ratio (SIR) reduced from 3.003 to 0.593, and the FC utilization ratio decreased from 0.36 to 0.31 from October 2019- August 2020 to September 2020-July 2021. HAI-CLABSI events decreased from 1 to 0, CL utilization ratio decreased from 3.31 to 2.81 from June 2020- December 2020 to January 2021- July 2021. Conclusions: These results suggest that an interdisciplinary approach and robust IP practices may be an effective approach to improving patient safety and reducing patient harm.

Infection preventionist staffing levels and rates of 10 types of healthcare-associated infections: A 9-year ambidirectional observation.

To quantitatively evaluate relationships between infection preventionists (IPs) staffing levels, nursing hours, and rates of 10 types of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). An ambidirectional observation in a 528-bed teaching hospital. All inpatients from July 1, 2012, to February 1, 2021. Standardized US National Health Safety Network (NHSN) definitions were used for HAIs. Staffing levels were measured in full-time equivalents (FTE) for IPs and total monthly hours worked for nurses. A time-trend analysis using control charts, t tests, Poisson tests, and regression analysis was performed using Minitab and R computing programs on rates and standardized infection ratios (SIRs) of 10 types of HAIs. An additional analysis was performed on 3 stratifications: critically low (2-3 FTE), below recommended IP levels (4-6 FTE), and at recommended IP levels (7-8 FTE). The observation covered 1.6 million patient days of surveillance. IP staffing levels fluctuated from ≤2 IP FTE (critically low) to 7-8 IP FTE (recommended levels). Periods of highest catheter-associated urinary tract infection SIRs, hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection rates, along with 4 of 5 types of surgical site SIRs coincided with the periods of lowest IP staffing levels and the absence of certified IPs and a healthcare epidemiologist. Central-line-associated bloodstream infections increased amid lower nursing levels despite the increased presence of an IP and a hospital epidemiologist. Of 10 HAIs, 8 had highest incidences during periods of lowest IP staffing and experience. Some HAI rates varied inversely with levels of IP staffing and experience and others appeared to be more influenced by nursing levels or other confounders.

Making a C-DIFFerence: Implementation of a prevention collaborative to reduce hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile infection rates.

To assist hospitals in reducing Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) implemented a collaborative using the CDC CDI prevention strategies and the Targeted Assessment for Prevention (TAP) Strategy as foundational frameworks. Acute-care hospitals. We invited 400 hospitals with the highest cumulative attributable differences (CADs) to the 12-month collaborative, with monthly webinars, coaching calls, and deployment of the CDC CDI TAP facility assessments. Infection prevention barriers, gaps identified, and interventions implemented were qualitatively coded by categorizing them to respective CDI prevention strategies. Standardized infection ratios (SIRs) were reviewed to measure outcomes. Overall, 76 hospitals participated, most often reporting CDI testing as their greatest barrier to achieving reduction (61%). In total, 5,673 TAP assessments were collected across 46 (61%) hospitals. Most hospitals (98%) identified at least 1 gap related to testing and at least 1 gap related to infrastructure to support prevention. Among 14 follow-up hospitals, 64% implemented interventions related to infrastructure to support prevention (eg, establishing champions, reviewing individual CDIs) and 86% implemented testing interventions (eg, 2-step testing, testing algorithms). The SIR decrease between the pre-collaborative and post-collaborative periods was significant among participants (16.7%; P < .001) but less than that among nonparticipants (25.1%; P < .001). This article describes gaps identified and interventions implemented during a comprehensive CDI prevention collaborative in targeted hospitals, highlighting potential future areas of focus for CDI prevention efforts as well as reported challenges and barriers to prevention of one of the most common healthcare-associated infections affecting hospitals and patients nationwide.

A Quality Improvement Initiative to Increase Central Line Maintenance Bundle Compliance through Nursing-led Rounds

Introduction:Improvements in maintenance bundle compliance around central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) lack standardization. The objective was to implement a formalized nursing-led rounding process, Rounds for Influence, with a goal of 12 rounds/wk on each inpatient unit and Ambulatory Infusion Center, achieving > 90% maintenance bundle compliance.Methods:Nurses served as peer “influencers” to perform rounds. The CLABSI prevention team created three comprehensive rounding tools (line access, dressing change/port needle insertion, and cap change) on a digital platform. The team designed these tools to assess clinical competence for maintenance bundle components and implemented nine plan-do-study-act cycles throughout the study period.Results:Influencers completed 191 rounds after the first month of implementation, resulting in a 264.2% increase from the baseline of 52.5 rounds per month. Over the 2.5 years postimplementation, rounds resulted in 7836 total observations. Maintenance bundle compliance decreased from 86.9% (centerline value from November 2017 to September 2018) to 40.8% after the first month of implementation. Compliance increased iteratively (two separate centerline shifts) to a current centerline value of 87.1%. The CLABSI 12-month cumulative standardized infection ratio (SIR) was 0.9 in November 2017 and dropped to 0.53 in June 2021.Conclusion:Implementing a formalized nursing-led rounding process led to increased maintenance bundle compliance, decreased CLABSI SIR, and is an integral part of nursing practice. Given this success, there is interest from other hospital-acquired condition improvement teams in applying this rounding practice to their improvement work.

The Standardization of Hospital-Acquired Infection Rates Using Prediction Models in Iran: Observational Study of National Nosocomial Infection Registry Data

BackgroundMany factors contribute to the spreading of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).ObjectiveThis study aimed to standardize the HAI rate using prediction models in Iran based on the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) method.MethodsIn this study, the Iranian nosocomial infections surveillance system (INIS) was used to gather data on patients with HAIs (126,314 infections). In addition, the hospital statistics and information system (AVAB) was used to collect data on hospital characteristics. First, well-performing hospitals, including 357 hospitals from all over the country, were selected. Data were randomly split into training (70%) and testing (30%) sets. Finally, the standardized infection ratio (SIR) and the corrected SIR were calculated for the HAIs.ResultsThe mean age of the 100,110 patients with an HAI was 40.02 (SD 23.56) years. The corrected SIRs based on the observed and predicted infections for respiratory tract infections (RTIs), urinary tract infections (UTIs), surgical site infections (SSIs), and bloodstream infections (BSIs) were 0.03 (95% CI 0-0.09), 1.02 (95% CI 0.95-1.09), 0.93 (95% CI 0.85-1.007), and 0.91 (95% CI 0.54-1.28), respectively. Moreover, the corrected SIRs for RTIs in the infectious disease, burn, obstetrics and gynecology, and internal medicine wards; UTIs in the burn, infectious disease, internal medicine, and intensive care unit wards; SSIs in the burn and infectious disease wards; and BSIs in most wards were >1, indicating that more HAIs were observed than expected.ConclusionsThe results of this study can help to promote preventive measures based on scientific evidence. They can also lead to the continuous improvement of the monitoring system by collecting and systematically analyzing data on HAIs and encourage the hospitals to better control their infection rates by establishing a benchmarking system.

95. Impact of Penetrating Trauma on Surgical Site Infection Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) for Colon Procedures

Abstract Background Colon surgery (COLO) is one of the focus areas for the the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program. Standardized criteria from the National Healthcare Surveillance Network (NSHN) are used to define surgical site infections (SSI) and to assess and weight standardized risk variables, so that all organizations can be judged to the same standard. Performance is compared though use of a standardized infection ratio (SIR), which is the observed number of infections, divided by the “predicted” number of infections, given the number and type of surgeries performed. Methods A retrospective review of medical records and NHSN documentation was conducted for 778 COLO procedures that were performed at a large academic and level 1 trauma center between January 2019 and December 2020. Initial review of the data showed that the increases in SIR were primarily concentrated in trauma patients with intestinal injury and fecal spillage. SIR for adult procedures were calculated using the NHSN Complex 30-Day SSI Data for IQR Report model, which the metric used by the CMS IQR. The CDC NHSN Statistics Calculator was used to compare SIR for procedures coded as trauma and non-trauma. As a proxy for patients with penetrating trauma, SIR for patients coded as trauma who had a surgical wound class noted as dirty was compared to SIR for patients coded as trauma with surgical wound class coded as contaminated or clean-contaminated. Results For the CMS model, there was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0003) between SIR for trauma (SIR = 3.451) and non-trauma (SIR = 1.071) procedures. There was also a statistically significant difference (p=0.0014) between trauma procedures with dirty surgical wound class (SIR = 6.608), compared to those with wounds categorized as contaminated or clean-contaminated (SIR = 2.235). NHSN Adult Complex 30 Days SIR comparison for COLO SSI with and without trauma NHSN Adult Complex 30 Days SIR comparison for trauma COLO procedures with dirty wound class description, against COLO procedures with wound class described as clean or clean-contaminated Conclusion Risk factors currently included in the model for COLO SSI may not adequately account for the increased risk from penetrating trauma with fecal spillage. Trauma and wound class should be added to the CMS IQR risk model for SIR. Disclosures Kelley M. Boston, MPH, CIC, CPHQ, FAPIC, Infection Prevention &amp; Management Associates (Employee, Shareholder) Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, MD, Amplyx (Consultant)Cidara (Consultant)F2G (Consultant)Gilead (Grant/Research Support, Speaker's Bureau)Pfizer (Scientific Research Study Investigator, Speaker's Bureau)Scynexis (Grant/Research Support, Scientific Research Study Investigator)Viracor (Consultant)

777. Implementation of Antimicrobial Impregnated Catheters to Reduce Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) in a Pediatric Setting

BackgroundAntimicrobial impregnated catheters (AIC) are one strategy to prevent CLABSI with existing data for central lines required for short duration, however, the strength of evidence, particularly for children, is lacking. Recent 3-year CLABSI data at our institution show 60 (51%) infections occurred in central lines within 8 weeks of insertion, suggesting an opportunity for evaluation of an intervention targeting this time frame. We implemented AIC to evaluate their effectiveness in reducing CLABSI standardized infection ratio (SIR) in patients requiring central venous access for less than 8 weeks. We also monitored for complications (malfunction, line exchange, fungal infection).MethodsA stepped wedge observational design was used to implement Minocycline + Rifampin impregnated catheters in a rolling fashion across the institution. Children > 3kg were eligible if admitted to a participating unit and required central venous access through a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC), non-tunneled catheter, or tunneled non-cuffed femoral catheter for < 8 weeks. Units, prioritized based on CLABSI SIR, were added to the intervention monthly until AIC were used throughout the institution. A multidisciplinary team (infectious diseases and infection control experts, CLABSI leaders, unit-based physicians and nurses, proceduralists, supply chain) met weekly to facilitate implementation, assess for CLABSI and monitor for complications.Figure 1. Study design. This figure describes the stepped wedge study design where units were phased into the invention on a rolling monthly basis allowing for comparison between and within units. The shaded boxes represent time periods when units were using antimicrobial impregnated catheters and the white boxes represent time periods when units were using standard non-impregnated catheters.ResultsAIC were systematically implemented over a 7-month period. The institution’s CLABSI SIR decreased from 0.80 to 0.59 during this timeframe. There were no NHSH defined CLABSI in patients with an AIC during the intervention. Obstacles included shortage of catheters due to supply chain disruption, adjustment of technique for line insertion and cracked/broken lines. Infections and complications were reviewed by the multidisciplinary team and compared to historical rates with non-impregnated lines. This figure shows the institution’s rolling 12-month SIR during the intervention period.ConclusionCLABSI SIR decreased at our institution during the intervention period. While many efforts likely led to this reduction (optimizing maintenance bundle, unit based CLABSI initiatives), we believe the use of AIC contributed to this improvement. There were no pediatric-specific safety events identified during implementation.Disclosures Ravi Jhaveri, MD, AstraZeneca (Consultant)Dynavax (Consultant)Elsevier (Other Financial or Material Support, Editorial stipend as Co-EiC, Clinical Therapeutics)Hologic (Consultant)Seqirus (Consultant)

770. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Central Line-associated Bloodstream Infections in Metropolitan Detroit

BackgroundRecent publications suggest that central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates have increased in US hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on CLABSIs.MethodsThis was a retrospective cross-sectional study comparing CLABSI rate per 1,000 central line (CL) days, blood culture (BC) utilization rate per 1,000 CL days, CL utilization rate per 1,000 patient days, Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) and Standardized Utilization Ratio (SUR) in the pre-COVID-19 period from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 to the COVID-19 period from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 at an 877-bed tertiary care hospital in Detroit, Michigan. CLABSI, and BC and CL utilization rate were extracted from the electronic medical record (Epic™ Bugsy). SIR and SUR data were extracted from National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).ResultsThe average CLABSI rate per 1,000 CL days increased 24% from 1.66 to 2.06. Twenty percent of patients were hospitalized for COVID-19. The BC utilization rate per 1,000 CL days decreased from 0.43 to 0.32 with a 26% reduction. However, CL utilization increased by 28% from 0.25 to 0.32 (Figure 1). However, CLABSIs due to common commensals decreased from 13.8% to 10.9%. The SIR increased significantly from 1.055 to 1.795 (P-value 0.008), resulting in a 70% increase. The overall SUR also increased from 0.900 to 0.988 (P-value < 0.001). Figure 2 is a control chart of the CLABSI rate from July 2019 to April 2021. Figure 1. CLABSI, blood culture utilization and central line utilization rates pre-and during COVID-19 pandemic Figure 2. CLABSI control chart pre-and during COVID-19 pandemicConclusionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase in CL utilization, CLABSI rate, SIR and SUR likely due to higher acuity in COVID-19 patients despite a decrease in BC orders. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

54. The Effect of Targeting High-Risk Patients for Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention on Hospital-Onset Clostridioides Difficile Infection Rates

Background Clostridioides difficile infection contributes to significant burden on patients and the healthcare system, costing billions in excess costs every year for hospital care. Continued use of antibiotics after C. difficile infection diagnosis is a risk factor for recurrent infection. Also, individuals who have had a recurrence of C. difficile infection are at a higher risk of subsequent episodes. MethodsThis prospective, observational, pre-post study evaluated the effect of implementing a targeted antimicrobial stewardship initiative towards a high-risk target population on the rate of in-hospital C. difficile infection rates. High-risk targets were identified through an electronic health system report of admitted patients at a large academic medical center who were toxin assay positive or had a documented history of C. difficile infection. Subjects who met the criteria were assessed for interventions by the pharmacy-driven antimicrobial stewardship service. The primary outcome compared the hospital-onset C. difficile rates and standardized infection ratio (SIR) before and after implementation of the initiative. The SIR is reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) and is calculated as a ratio between the number of observed and predicted infections, which is adjusted for facility-specific factors that contribute C. difficile risk. Negative binomial regression was used to calculate the predicted C. difficile infections in the SIR. Poisson regression was used to generate a 95% prediction interval for the predicted C. difficile infection rate. ResultsThe mean age of subjects was 63 years old and 85% had no history of prior C. difficile infection. The most common intervention was de-escalation of antibiotics (46%). The post-implementation SIR was 0.55 and hospital-onset C. difficile rate was 13, both of which were significantly lower than predicted. ConclusionTargeting patients who have a history of or are newly diagnosed with C. difficile infection may decrease hospital-onset C. difficile rates.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

779. COVID-19 Pandemic and Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infection Trends

BackgroundIt has been postulated that the COVID-19 pandemic would increase the overall catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) risk in part due to higher acuity, increased indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) utilization, longer length of stay, changes in infection prevention practices due to staffing shortages. However, reported data are limited. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our CAUTI rates. MethodsThis was a retrospective cross-sectional study comparing CAUTI rate per 1,000 indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) days, urine culture (UC) utilization rate per 1,000 IUC days, IUC utilization rate per 1,000 patient days, Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) and Standardized Utilization Ratio (SUR) in the pre-COVID-19 period from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 to the COVID-19 period from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 at an 877-bed tertiary care hospital in Detroit, Michigan. CAUTI, UC utilization and IUC utilization rate were extracted from the electronic medical record (Epic™ Bugsy). SIR and SUR data were extracted from National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).ResultsThe average CAUTI rate per 1,000 IUC days decreased from 0.99 pre-COVID-19 to 0.64 during COVID-19, yielding a 35% reduction. The UC order rate per 1,000 IUC days decreased from 19.19 to 18.83 with only 2% reduction. However, IUC utilization rate increased by 55% from 0.184 to 0.286. The SIR decreased from 0.483 to 0.337 with a 30% reduction, although this was not statistically significant ((P-value 0.283). The overall SUR decreased significantly from 0.806 to 0.762 (P-value < 0.001). Figure 2 is a control chart of the CAUTI rate from July 2019 to April 2021. Figure 1. CAUTI, indwelling urinary catheter and urine culture utilization rates pre-and during COVID-19 pandemic. Figure 2. CAUTI control chart pre-and during COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionAlthough the IUC utilization increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, CAUTI rate, SIR and SUR decreased and UC orders remained unchanged. Thus, the pandemic did not have a negative impact on our CAUTI rates.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

763. Impact of Two-Step Testing Algorithm on Hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile Infections and Oral Vancomycin Prescription Practices at an Academic Medical Center

Background Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the leading causes of hospital –onset (HO) infections. Clinically distinguishing true CDI versus colonization with C.difficile is challenging. We implemented a two-step testing algorithm to discriminate true CDI from colonization then evaluated the effect on rate of HO CDI and oral vancomycin. MethodsIn May 2020, a two-step testing algorithm was implemented utilizing C. difficile PCR and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) glutamate dehydrogenase (Figure 1). Rates of HO CDI and use of oral vancomycin was compared in the three quarters preceding and after this intervention (July 2019-March 2020 and July 2020-March 2021, respectively). HO CDI was defined based on National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Laboratory Identified (LabID) event as last positive C.difficile test result performed on a specimen collected >3 calendar days after admission to the facility. HO CDI rates were assessed based on Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) data and antimicrobial use was reported in days of therapy (DoT) per 1000 patient days. Figure 1. Two-Step Testing Algorithm for Diagnosing Clostridioides difficile infection ResultsDuring the pre-intervention period 30 HO CDI cases were reported compared to 9 cases in the post-intervention period (p=0.02) (Figure 2). There was a non-statistically significant reduction in CDI SIR in post-intervention period (0.133 vs. 0.305, p=0.11). Oral vancomycin use was similar in the pre- and post-intervention periods (3.89 vs. 3.84, p=0.96). Fidaxomicin use was rare (< 0.2 DoT/1000 pt days). Of 26 HO C.difficile colonized patients in post-intervention period, 14 (54%) patients received oral vancomycin treatment. Infectious diseases was consulted on 7/14 and recommended discontinuation of treatment in 3 while treatment was continued for other patients based on clinical status and immunocompromising conditions. Figure 2. Comparison of pre- and post-intervention trend in Hospital-onset CDI rate ConclusionWe successfully reduced our HO CDI infections and SIR below national average after implementation of two-step testing algorithm for CDI. There was no impact on the rate of oral vancomycin use. We observed at 54% rate of treatment for patients categorized as likely colonization. Provider education and stewardship interventions are necessary to reduce inappropriate use of oral vancomycin in colonized patients. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

753. Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Facility-Onset Clostridiodes difficile Infection

BackgroundIt is estimated that the majority of hospitalized COVID-19 patients around the world received antibiotics despite the fact that bacterial co-infections are rare. This can lead to increased antimicrobial resistance and Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI). Gastrointestinal symptoms of COVID-19 may also contribute to increased testing. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our healthcare facility-onset (HO) CDI rates.MethodsThis was a retrospective cross-sectional study comparing CDI rate per 1,000 patient days, C. diff order rate per 1,000 patient days, Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratio (SAAR), and Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) in the pre-COVID-19 period from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 to the COVID-19 period from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 at a 877-bed tertiary care hospital in Detroit, Michigan. CDI and order rates were extracted from the electronic medical record (Epic™ Bugsy). SAAR and SIR data were extracted from National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).ResultsThe average CDI rate per 1,000 patient days was 4.29 pre-COVID-19 compared to 1.98 during COVID-19 with a 54% reduction, and the C. diff order rate per 1,000 patient days also decreased from 130.89 to 93.03, resulting in a 29% reduction (Figure 1). The SIR was 0.383 compared to 0.308 during COVID-19 (P-value 0.404). SAAR decreased from 1.095 to 0.945 (P-value < 0.001). However, our institution experienced three COVID-19 waves, with peaks in April 2020, November 2020 and March 2021, that correlated with high risk CDI antibiotic utilization in intensive care unit (ICU) (Figure 2). The average hand hygiene rate increased from 82% to 92%. Figure 1. Clostridioides difficile order and infection rates pre-and during COVID-19 pandemic. Figure 2. Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratio (SAAR) pre-and during COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionDespite the COVID-19 pandemic, the HO-CDI and C. diff order rates and overall SAAR decreased; however, antibiotic utilization increased in the ICU during the COVID-19 waves. The overall decrease may be multifactorial and related to increased hand hygiene compliance, isolation and personal protective equipment use and overall decreased antibiotic use and C. diff orders.Disclosures Rachel Kenney, PharmD, Medtronic, Inc. (Other Financial or Material Support, spouse is an employee and shareholder)

769. Risk Factors of Central Line-associated Bloodstream Infection in an Academic Medical Center

BackgroundCentral line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) are one of the leading healthcare-acquired infections (HAI) with significant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to identify risk factors of CLABSI at an academic medical center to determine high-risk populations and target interventions.MethodsThis is an observational retrospective cohort study at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020. Retrospective chart review was conducted to identify demographics and co-morbidities of hospitalized patients diagnosed with CLABSI as defined by National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Infections due to mucosal barrier injuries were excluded. Means were compared using independent-samples T-test and proportions were compared using chi-square.ResultsNinety-three CLABSI events were identified with an increase in the standardized infection ratio from 0.38 in 2017 to 0.74 in 2020 (Figure 1). Bacterial organisms were identified in 71 (76%) cases while fungal organisms were identified in 22 (24%) (Table 2). There was no significant difference in the timing of CLABSI after line insertion (p=0.09) or organism identified (p=0.61) in PICC lines (n=33, 34%) vs all other central lines (n=60, 67%). When comparing immunocompromised patients with CLABSI (n=47, 51%) vs non-immunocompromised (n=46, 50%), there was a significant difference in the indication for line (chemotherapy), but no difference was seen in the number of line days prior to event (p=0.57), line type (p=0.17), or organism identified (p=0.94). Of all CLABSI, 46% (n=43) were in the intensive care unit (ICU) with significantly more Candida species (p=0.018) identified compared to non-ICU patients with CLABSI (n= 50, 54%). Figure 1. CLABSI Rate and SIR from 2017 to 2020 by Quarter ConclusionCandida species were more likely to be found in ICU patients with CLABSI as compared to non-ICU counterparts with further investigation in the ICU population revealing lack of flushing after administration of total parenteral nutrition. Otherwise, this observational cohort of CLABSI events did not identify any difference in immunosuppression status or line type. Given this information, infection prevention efforts will continue to be directed towards proper central line maintenance and removal when no longer indicated.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Increasing rates of laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery and decreasing rates of surgical site infections: an observational study in Japan from 2012\u20132017

BackgroundSurgical site infections (SSI) are the most common healthcare-associated infection, and gastrointestinal surgery is frequently followed by a high incidence of SSI. Epidemiological analysis of the temporal trends in SSI following gastrointestinal surgery has yet to be performed in Japan. Our purpose was to descriptively investigate these trends.MethodsExtracting national surveillance data from the Japan Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (JANIS) system, we analyzed the frequency of SSI events following gastrointestinal surgery, which consisted of seven surgical procedures, from 2012–2017. We calculated the standardized infection ratio to compute risk-adjusted SSI frequency, and used the trend test to detect time-dependent changes.ResultsThe frequency of SSI events, except for those associated with surgery of the upper gastrointestinal tract, revealed a decreasing time-dependent trend. The use of laparoscopic surgery increased dramatically over time (p < 0.01 for the six applicable surgical sites), while the frequency of SSI events during laparoscopic surgery remained unchanged.ConclusionsThe increasing use of laparoscopic surgery was identified, and the observation coincided with the decreasing trend in SSI, especially in lower gastrointestinal tract surgery. If the relationship is causal, the overall SSI incidence among previously healthy individuals is expected to decrease, because the use of laparoscopic surgery has large growth potential in Japan.

A computerized indicator for surgical site infection (SSI) assessment after total hip or total knee replacement: The French ISO-ORTHO indicator

The French National Authority for Health (HAS), with a multidisciplinary working group, developed an indicator 'ISO-ORTHO' to assess surgical site infections (SSIs) after total hip arthroplasty or total knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) based on the hospital discharge database. We present the ISO-ORTHO indicator designed for SSI automated detection and its relevance for quality improvement and hospital benchmarks. The algorithm is based on a combination of International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) and procedure codes of the hospital stay. The target population was selected among adult patients who had a THA or TKA between January 1, 2017, and September 30, 2017. Patients at very high risk of SSI and/or with SSI not related to hospital care were excluded. We searched databases for SSIs up to 3 months after THA/TKA. The standardized infection ratio (SIR) of observed versus expected SSIs was calculated (logistic regression) and displayed as funnel plot with 2 and 3 standard deviations (SD) after adjustment for 13 factors known to increase SSI risk. In total, 790 hospitals and 139,926 THA/TKA stays were assessed; 1,253 SSI were detected in the 473 included hospitals (incidence, 0.9%: 1.0% for THA, 0.80% for TKA). The SSI rate was significantly higher in males (1.2%), in patients with previous osteo-articular infection (4.4%), and those with cancer (2.3%), obesity, or diabetes. Most hospitals (89.9%) were within 2 SD; however, 12 hospitals were classified as outliers at more than +3 SD (1.6% of facilities), and 59 hospitals (7.9%) were outliers between +2 SD and +3 SD. ISO-ORTHO is a relevant indicator for automated surveillance; it can provide hospitals a metric for SSI assessment that may contribute to improving patient outcomes.

The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on healthcare-associated infections in 2020: A summary of data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network.

To determine the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on healthcare-associated infection (HAI) incidence in US hospitals, national- and state-level standardized infection ratios (SIRs) were calculated for each quarter in 2020 and compared to those from 2019. Central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), ventilator-associated events (VAEs), select surgical site infections, and Clostridioides difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia laboratory-identified events reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network for 2019 and 2020 by acute-care hospitals were analyzed. SIRs were calculated for each HAI and quarter by dividing the number of reported infections by the number of predicted infections, calculated using 2015 national baseline data. Percentage changes between 2019 and 2020 SIRs were calculated. Supporting analyses, such as an assessment of device utilization in 2020 compared to 2019, were also performed. Significant increases in the national SIRs for CLABSI, CAUTI, VAE, and MRSA bacteremia were observed in 2020. Changes in the SIR varied by quarter and state. The largest increase was observed for CLABSI, and significant increases in VAE incidence and ventilator utilization were seen across all 4 quarters of 2020. This report provides a national view of the increases in HAI incidence in 2020. These data highlight the need to return to conventional infection prevention and control practices and build resiliency in these programs to withstand future pandemics.

New Metrics for Assessing the State Performance in Combating the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Previous research has noted that many factors greatly influence the spread of COVID‐19. Contrary to explicit factors that are measurable, such as population density, number of medical staff, and the daily test rate, many factors are not directly observable, for instance, culture differences and attitudes toward the disease, which may introduce unobserved heterogeneity. Most contemporary COVID‐19 related research has focused on modeling the relationship between explicitly measurable factors and the response variable of interest (such as the infection rate or the death rate). The infection rate is a commonly used metric for evaluating disease progression and a state's mitigation efforts. Because unobservable sources of heterogeneity cannot be measured directly, it is hard to incorporate them into the quantitative assessment and decision‐making process. In this study, we propose new metrics to study a state's performance by adjusting the measurable county‐level covariates and unobservable state‐level heterogeneity through random effects. A hierarchical linear model (HLM) is postulated, and we calculate two model‐based metrics—the standardized infection ratio (SDIR) and the adjusted infection rate (AIR). This analysis highlights certain time periods when the infection rate for a state was high while their SDIR was low and vice versa. We show that trends in these metrics can give insight into certain aspects of a state's performance. As each state continues to develop their individualized COVID‐19 mitigation strategy and ultimately works to improve their performance, the SDIR and AIR may help supplement the crude infection rate metric to provide a more thorough understanding of a state's performance.

Turning up the volume to address biases in predicted healthcare-associated infections and enhance U.S. hospital rankings: A data-driven approach

ObjectivesTo examine potential biases in standardized infection ratio (SIR) metrics due to static U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) parameters and non-linearity of infection outcomes with volume. Correspondingly, to enhance the CDC predictions by incorporating additional information from volume metrics and explore an alternative approach to more fairly rank hospitals to address the SIR=0 problem. MethodsThis population-based study uses publicly available 2019 healthcare-associated infections (HAI) data from 3096 acute care U.S. hospitals. HAI-specific Poisson generalized additive models illustrate the recalibration of CDC predictions, using volume-based spline functions to adjust for biases. Implied cumulative distribution functions (CDF) were derived, and HAI-facility-specific probabilities were calculated. Hospital rankings implied from these HAI-stratified probabilities were calculated. ResultsCalibration plots demonstrate existing biases associated with CDC infection over-predictions. Volume-based spline functions were significant for all HAIs (P<.0004). CDF-based rankings resulted in larger discrimination across hospitals based on strength of evidence, especially among SIR=0 facilities. National maps depict ranking differences by HAI and state. ConclusionAdjustment of SIR biases, which differ by facility volume, is needed to produce more accurate and fairer hospital rankings.

COVID-19 Case Age Distribution: Correction for Differential Testing by Age.

Despite expected initial universal susceptibility to a novel pandemic pathogen like SARS-CoV-2, the pandemic has been characterized by higher observed incidence in older persons and lower incidence in children and adolescents. To determine whether differential testing by age group explains observed variation in incidence. Population-based cohort study. Ontario, Canada. Persons diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 and those tested for SARS-CoV-2. Test volumes from the Ontario Laboratories Information System, number of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases from the Integrated Public Health Information System, and population figures from Statistics Canada. Demographic and temporal patterns in incidence, testing rates, and test positivity were explored using negative binomial regression models and standardization. Sources of variation in standardized ratios were identified and test-adjusted standardized infection ratios (SIRs) were estimated by metaregression. Observed disease incidence and testing rates were highest in the oldest age group and markedly lower in those younger than 20 years; no differences in incidence were seen by sex. After adjustment for testing frequency, SIRs were lowest in children and in adults aged 70 years or older and markedly higher in adolescents and in males aged 20 to 49 years compared with the overall population. Test-adjusted SIRs were highly correlated with standardized positivity ratios (Pearson correlation coefficient, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.68 to 0.95]; P< 0.001) and provided a case identification fraction similar to that estimated with serologic testing (26.7% vs. 17.2%). The novel methodology requires external validation. Case and testing data were not linkable at the individual level. Adjustment for testing frequency provides a different picture of SARS-CoV-2 infection risk by age, suggesting that younger males are an underrecognized group at high risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Building an Interactive Geospatial Visualization Application for National Health Care-Associated Infection Surveillance: Development Study.

BackgroundThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) is the most widely used health care–associated infection (HAI) and antimicrobial use and resistance surveillance program in the United States. Over 37,000 health care facilities participate in the program and submit a large volume of surveillance data. These data are used by the facilities themselves, the CDC, and other agencies and organizations for a variety of purposes, including infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, and clinical quality measurement. Among the summary metrics made available by the NHSN are standardized infection ratios, which are used to identify HAI prevention needs and measure progress at the national, regional, state, and local levels.ObjectiveTo extend the use of geospatial methods and tools to NHSN data, and in turn to promote and inspire new uses of the rendered data for analysis and prevention purposes, we developed a web-enabled system that enables integrated visualization of HAI metrics and supporting data.MethodsWe leveraged geocoding and visualization technologies that are readily available and in current use to develop a web-enabled system designed to support visualization and interpretation of data submitted to the NHSN from geographically dispersed sites. The server–client model–based system enables users to access the application via a web browser.ResultsWe integrated multiple data sets into a single-page dashboard designed to enable users to navigate across different HAI event types, choose specific health care facility or geographic locations for data displays, and scale across time units within identified periods. We launched the system for internal CDC use in January 2019.ConclusionsCDC NHSN statisticians, data analysts, and subject matter experts identified opportunities to extend the use of geospatial methods and tools to NHSN data and provided the impetus to develop NHSNViz. The development effort proceeded iteratively, with the developer adding or enhancing functionality and including additional data sets in a series of prototype versions, each of which incorporated user feedback. The initial production version of NHSNViz provides a new geospatial analytic resource built in accordance with CDC user requirements and extensible to additional users and uses in subsequent versions.