Veterans Affairs Long-term Care Facility Research Articles

Equity and Inclusion for LGBTQ+ Residents: Lessons Learned from the Initial Long-Term Care Equality Index (LEI)

ObjectivesMost older adults with lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, questioning, transgender, and related identities (LGBTQ+) are concerned about receiving lower-quality care and/or being mistreated in nursing homes. Older LGBTQ+ veterans may have additional reservations about care in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing homes (Community Living Centers [CLCs]) because of experience with past discriminatory military policies (eg, bans on participating in military service, Don't Ask Don't Tell). This article describes one of the first VA CLCs to participate in the Human Rights Campaign–developed Long-Term Care Equality Index (LEI). DesignA single-site formative evaluation was completed to support quality improvement and identify opportunities for growth using the LEI. The LEI is a facility benchmarking tool to support more inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ residents and employees. The LEI offers 4 evaluation criteria: (1) Non-Discrimination and Staff Training; (2) LGBTQ+ Resident Services and Support; (3) Employee Benefits and Policies; and (4) Resident and Community Engagement. Facilities receive ratings based on the number of requirements achieved in each category. Participants and Methods: Older LGBTQ+ veterans, current CLC residents, interdisciplinary CLC providers and leadership, and national Geriatrics and Extended Care program managers collaborated to pilot the LEI and develop tools and materials to support other VA facilities' participation in the LEI. ResultsQualitative interviews with veterans and CLC residents supported inclusion of gender identity and sexual orientation in resident handbooks, discussions about person-centered care, and opportunities for additional staff training and community engagement (eg, observing Pride Month in June). Resources to support VA long-term care facilities' participation in the LEI were developed. Conclusions and ImplicationsThe LEI offers a structured approach to identifying areas for improvement in providing high-quality and equitable care in long-term care settings. Practical suggestions for CLCs and other nursing home settings considering the LEI for the first time are discussed.

Predictors of potentially suboptimal treatment of urinary tract infections in long-term care facilities

Suboptimal antibiotic treatment of urinary tract infection (UTI) is high in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and likely varies between facilities. Large-scale evaluations have not been conducted. To identify facility-level predictors of potentially suboptimal treatment of UTI in Veterans Affairs (VA) LTCFs and to quantify variation across facilities. This was a retrospective cohort study of 21,938 residents in 120 VA LTCFs (2013-2018) known as Community Living Centers (CLCs). Potentially suboptimal treatment was assessed from drug choice, dose frequency, and/or treatment duration. To identify facility characteristics predictive of suboptimal UTI treatment, LTCFs with higher and lower rates of suboptimal treatment (≥median, < median) were compared using unconditional logistic regression models. Joinpoint regression models were used to quantify average percentage difference across facilities. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to quantify variation across facilities. The rate of potentially suboptimal antibiotic treatment varied from 1.7 to 34.2 per 10,000 bed-days across LTCFs. The average percentage difference in rates across facilities was 2.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.4-2.7). The only facility characteristic predictive of suboptimal treatment was the incident rate of UTI per 10,000 bed-days (odds ratio: 4.9; 95% CI: 2.3-10.3). Multilevel models demonstrated that 94% of the variation between facilities was unexplained after controlling for resident and CLC characteristics. The median odds ratio for the full multilevel model was 1.37. Potentially suboptimal UTI treatment was variable across VA LTCFs. However, most of the variation across LTCFs was unexplained. Future research should continue to investigate factors that are driving suboptimal antibiotic treatment in LTCFs.

Potential Impact of CDC’s Enhanced Barrier Precautions Recommendations on Veterans’ Affairs Long-Term Care Facilities

Background: We previously showed that ~25% of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) long-term care facility (LTCF) residents had 1 or more indwelling medical devices. Of these devices, 36% were indwelling urinary catheters, 18% were percutaneous gastrostomy tubes, 12% were peripherally inserted central catheters, 8% were suprapubic urinary catheters, and 6% were peripheral intravenous catheters. Approximately 11% of those with an indwelling device developed an LTCF-acquired infection, compared to 3.5% of those without a device. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a targeted multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) in all VA LTCFs nationwide. All admissions to VA LTCFs are screened for MRSA carriage upon admission and, since 2013, those that screen positive (~21%) are placed in VA enhanced barrier precautions (EBPs). VA EBPs require that all healthcare workers entering a resident’s bedroom don gowns and gloves for specific activities likely to be associated with contamination of the worker’s hands and clothes. With proper hand hygiene and clean clothing, the colonized resident is encouraged to leave their bedroom and participate fully in all LTCF activities. In July 2019, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the use of EBPs for all residents in LTCFs with a wound or device regardless of their colonization status if a resident is identified within the facility with novel or targeted MDROs including panresistant organisms, carbapenemase-producing gram-negative bacteria, and Candida auris. Methods: We assessed the potential impact of this recommendation on VA LTCFs by asking our 133 LTCFs to do a 1-day point-prevalence survey. Results: In total, 63 sites (47%) responded. On the survey day, there were 4,777 residents in the participating facilities, of whom 891 (18.7%) were under EBPs or contact precautions (CPs) for MRSA or other MDROs. Moreover, 963 (20.2%) residents (not already in EBP or CP) had a wound or an indwelling device such as central venous catheter, urinary catheter, feeding tube, tracheostomy or were on a ventilator (if &gt;1 device, resident counted only once). If newly published CDC recommendations were implemented for novel or targeted MDRO precautions in VA LTCFs nationwide, 1,854 residents (38.8%) in VA LTCFs would be placed under EBPs or CPs. Conclusions: In VA LTCFs, adopting the CDC recommendation to place all patients with wounds or indwelling devices under EBPs regardless of colonization status would increase the percentage of residents on transmission-based precautions to ~40% (nearly doubling those in an isolation precaution status).Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Outbreak in a Veterans Affairs Long-term Care Facility

Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is increasingly becoming an important cause of respiratory infections in adults, especially those living in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Seasonal outbreaks peaking from October to April are common. We report an outbreak of RSV involving 2 LTCFs with total capacity of 80 beds in 2019. Methods Retrospective chart review of cases identified with positive RSV infection via DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from January 24 to February 24, 2019, at 2 LTCF units, in close proximity to each other, at Northport Affairs Medical Center. Results Twenty veterans (18 men and 2 women) tested positive for RSV by rapid PCR. The median age was 73 (47–89) years, 85% are Caucasian, and 5 patients had temperature of greater than 100°F (100°F–102.4°F). All had rhinorrhea and 65% had cough. Medical history shows 45% with dementia, 30% with stroke, and 35% with diabetes; 2 patients on hemodialysis; and 2 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Four patients required hospitalization, and 2 of them required admission to intensive care unit. Length of stay ranged from 1 to 9 days. One patient with COPD required mechanical ventilation. One patient with computed tomography finding of airway impaction had antibiotics stopped by infectious diseases consult, yet he developed Clostridium difficile diarrhea. No deaths were observed, and all patients recovered. Aggressive infection control measures were implemented. Conclusions Respiratory syncytial virus is highly infectious and can easily cause an outbreak in an LTCF. Polymerase chain reaction testing was contributory to identify cases rapidly. Rapid PCR results and intensified infection control measures were instrumental to halt the outbreak.

1238. A National Comparison of Antibiograms Between Veterans Affairs Long-Term Care Facilities and Affiliated Hospitals

BackgroundLong-term care facilities (LTCFs) face several barriers to creating antibiograms. Here, we evaluate if LTCFs can use antibiograms from affiliated hospitals as their own antibiogram.MethodsFacility-specific antibiograms were created for all Veterans Affairs (VA) LTCFs and VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) for 2017. LTCFs and affiliated VAMCs were paired and classified as being on the same campus or geographically distinct campuses based on self-report. For each pair, Escherichia coli susceptibility rates (%S) to cefazolin, ceftriaxone, cefepime, ciprofloxacin, nitrofurantoin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, ampicillin/sulbactam, piperacillin/tazobactam, and imipenem were compared. As guidelines discourage empiric use of antibiotics if susceptibility rates are <80%, we assessed clinical discordance between each LTCF and affiliated VAMC antibiogram at a threshold of 80% susceptible. The proportions of concordant susceptibilities between LTCFs and VAMCs on the same campus vs. geographically distinct campuses were compared using Chi-square tests.ResultsA total of 119 LTCFs and their affiliated VAMCs were included in this analysis, with 70.6% (n = 84) of facilities located on the same campus and 29.4% (n = 35) on geographically distinct campuses. The table below shows the overall clinical concordance (agreement) of LTCFs with their affiliated VAMC in regards to E. coli %S to the compared antibiotics. No significant differences were found when comparing LTCFs on the same campus vs. geographically distinct campuses.Agreement Rates between LTCFs and Affiliated VAMCsAntibiotics90–100%Ampicillin/sulbactamImipenemNitrofurantoin80–89%CefepimeCiprofloxacinPiperacillin/tazobactam70–79%Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim60–69%CefazolinCeftriaxoneConclusionAntibiograms between LTCFs and affiliated VAMCs had a high concordance, except for sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, cefazolin and ceftriaxone in regards to susceptibility rates of E. coli. Facilities on the same campus were found to have similar concordance rates to geographically distinct facilities. Future studies are needed to investigate how the various approaches to creating LTCF-specific antibiograms are associated with clinical outcomes.Disclosures M. S. Tolg, Veterans Affairs: Investigator, Research grant. A. Caffrey, Veterans Affairs: Investigator, Research grant. H. Appaneal, Veterans Affairs: Grant Investigator, Research grant. R. Jump, Veterans Affairs: Investigator, Research grant. V. Lopes, Veterans Affairs: Investigator, Research grant. D. Dosa, Veterans Affairs: Grant Investigator, Research grant. K. LaPlante, Veterans Affairs: Investigator, Research grant.

1529. Suprapubic Catheter Placement Improves Antimicrobial Stewardship in a Veterans Affairs Long-term Care Facility

BackgroundIt is unknown if suprapubic catheters (SCs) offer benefit over indwelling urethral catheters (IUCs) in incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria and catheter-associated infection (CAUTI), or subsequent antibiotic exposure.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of unique patients with SCs placed at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System from February 2015 to March 2018, who had a prior IUC (≥30 days for each). Demographic, laboratory, microbiologic, and antibiotic use data were compared over the same number of days between IUC and SC periods. IDSA Guidelines were used to define CAUTI and asymptomatic bacteriuria.ResultsEighteen patients with SC were included. SCs were in place for a median of 213 days (range: 49–1,085). The indications for catheterization were urinary retention (n = 12), neurogenic bladder (n = 5), and decubitus healing (n = 1). The most common underlying conditions were benign prostatic hyperplasia (n = 9), multiple sclerosis (n = 2), and Parkinson’s disease (n = 2). The median number of urine cultures collected per 100 IUC and 100 SC days were 2.28 (range: 0–4.08) and 0.35 (range: 0–5.85), respectively (P = 0.02). Forty-four percent (8/18) and 39% (7/18) received at least one antibiotic course for asymptomatic bacteriuria during IUC and SC periods. A total of 170 days of antibiotic therapy were given for asymptomatic bacteriuria per 4,881 IUC days vs. 107 days for asymptomatic bacteriuria per 4,881 SC days (P = 0.0001). The median rate of CAUTI was 0.25 per 100 IUC days vs. 0.08 per 100 SC days (P = 0.15). The most common pathogens causing CAUTIs were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 5), Candida albicans (n = 2), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 1) and Enterococcus faecalis (n = 1). A total of 163 days of antibiotic therapy were given for CAUTI per 4,881 IUC days vs. 38 days of antibiotic therapy for CAUTI per 4,881 SC days (P < 0.0001).ConclusionSCs were associated with significantly less overall antibiotic exposure than IUCs, both as treatment of CAUTIs and as inappropriate agents against asymptomatic bacteriuria. CAUTI rates were similar among patients with SCs and IUCs, although cultures were performed more often in those with IUCs. Reducing the treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria remains a leading stewardship challenge.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Pharmacy Diabetes Management of a Veteran Population in a Long-Term Care Setting: A Program Evaluation.

The benefits of an outpatient pharmacy diabetes clinic has been established, with improved patient outcomes and reduced total costs of care. We describe the benefits of an inpatient clinical pharmacy diabetes service within a Department of Veterans Affairs long-term care facility. Patients were referred to the pharmacy diabetes monitoring program between February 2016 and August 2016. During this time, clinical pharmacy specialists managed all pharmacotherapy relating to diabetes care as well as all fingerstick monitoring frequencies and laboratory monitoring to achieve a prespecified, patient-specific A1C goal. The primary endpoints were optimization of blood glucose fingerstick monitoring frequency and cessation of sliding-scale insulin. Secondary end points were achievement of A1C goal, reduction of hypoglycemic/hyperglycemic events, and reduction of total insulin injections per day. At the time of discharge or end of the observation period, fingerstick frequency had been reduced by a mean of 7.7 fingersticks/patient/week (35.6% total reduction, median 17.5; interquartile range [IQR] 5.5-21; P = 0.002). All eight patients initially prescribed sliding-scale insulin upon referral had their sliding scale stopped by the end of observation. Total injections per day had been reduced from baseline with a mean reduction of 0.55 injections/patient/day (16.5% total reduction; P < 0.05). A1C also showed improvement from baseline, though this was not statistically significant (median 7.75%, IQR 6.8-8.3; P = 0.1). Total hyperglycemic events were reduced from 36 prior to enrollment to 23 post-observation period, while hypoglycemic events decreased from 8 before enrollment to 4 post-observation period. Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients managed by clinical pharmacy specialists at a Veterans Affairs long-term care facility significantly decreased weekly fingerstick blood monitoring frequency, number of insulin injections per day, and ceased sliding-scale insulin use. A1C and hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic events remained stable. Our results are limited because of a small sample size.

Declining Rates of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) in Veterans Affairs (VA) Long-term Care Facilities (LTCF)

BackgroundClinically-confirmed hospital-onset CDI rates declined 15% in VA acute care facilities after implementation of a CDI Prevention Initiative in July 2012. A similar initiative was launched in VA LTCFs in February 2014. The Initiative featured a four-part bundle emphasizing 1) environmental management, 2) hand hygiene, 3) contact precautions for suspected or documented CDI cases, and 4) and institutional culture change where infection control becomes everyone’s business. This is a report of subsequent CDI rates in VA LTCFs.MethodsMultidrug Resistant Organism prevention coordinators at each of the 132 VA reporting sites entered monthly CDI case data from February 2014 to December 2016 into a central database. A clinically-confirmed (CC) LTCF-onset CDI case was defined as a resident with clinical evidence of illness (i.e. diarrhea or histopathologic or colonoscopic evidence of pseudomembranous colitis) and a non-duplicate, non-recurrent positive diagnostic laboratory test collected ≥48h after admission. Quarterly CDI case rate trends were evaluated using negative binomial regression accounting for admission prevalence and diagnostic test type and compared with rates during a 24-month baseline period before implementation of the LTCF Initiative.ResultsDuring the 35-month analysis period, there were 145,421 admissions, 9,844,927 resident-days, and 1,480 CC-LTCF-onset CDI cases nationwide for a pooled CDI LTCF-onset rate of 1.50/10,000 resident-days. The use of nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) increased from 77.8% to 83.5% of facilities during the analysis period. CC-LTCF-onset CDI rates decreased 36% (P < .0001 for trend) (Figure 1).ConclusionAs with acute care, LTCF-onset CDI case rates declined coincident with implementation of an initiative featuring a four-part bundle of interventions.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Multiclonal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreak and its control after use of the Veterans Affairs (VA) MRSA bundle in a VA long-term care facility, 2004-2014

A multiclonal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreak with 91 infections occurred in our Veterans Affairs (VA) community living center over 46 months. Both similar and unique strains were shown by repetitive polymerase chain reaction to contribute to the outbreak, including 1 strain causing infections over a 33-month period. Most infections were soft tissue infections (67%). For 21 months after the initiation of the VA MRSA bundle, no infections were identified, and low rates of infection have been sustained an additional 4 years. The average annual rate of MRSA infection decreased by 62% (P < .001) from 0.6 per 1,000 resident days for 4 years prior to the bundle implementation to 0.09 per 1,000 resident days for 4 years after the bundle implementation.

Results of a Veterans Affairs employee education program on antimicrobial stewardship for older adults

We describe a course in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Employee Education System designed to engage nursing staff working in VA long-term care facilities as partners in antimicrobial stewardship. We found that the course addressed an important knowledge gap. Our outcomes suggest opportunities to engage nursing staff in advancing antimicrobial stewardship, particularly in the long-term care setting.

Specialty Care Delivery: Bringing Infectious Disease Expertise to the Residents of a Veterans Affairs Long‐Term Care Facility

To initiate a long-term care facility (LTCF) infectious disease (LID) service that provides on-site consultations to LTCF residents to improve the care of residents with possible infections. Clinical demonstration project. A 160-bed LTCF affiliated with a tertiary care Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. Residents referred to the LID team. The reason for and source of LTCF residents' referral to the LID team and their demographic characteristics, infectious disease diagnoses, interventions, and hospitalizations were determined. Between July 2009 and December 2010, the LID consultation service provided 291 consultations for 250 LTCF residents. Referrals came from LTCF staff (75%) or the VA hospital's ID consult service (25%). The most common diagnoses were Clostridium difficile infection (14%), asymptomatic bacteriuria (10%), and urinary tract infection (10%). More than half of referred residents were receiving antibiotic therapy when they first saw the LID team; 46% of residents required an intervention. The most common interventions, stopping (32%) or starting (26%) antibiotics, were made in accordance with principles of antibiotic stewardship. The LID team represents a novel and effective means to bring subspecialty care to LTCF residents.

Another Setting for Stewardship: High Rate of Unnecessary Antimicrobial Use in a Veterans Affairs Long‐Term Care Facility

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE Antimicrobials are frequently prescribed in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). In order to develop effective stewardship interventions, there is a need for data on current patterns of unnecessary antimicrobial prescribing among LTCF residents. The objective of this study was to examine the frequency of, reasons for, and adverse effects of unnecessary antimicrobial use in our Veterans Affairs (VA) LTCF. DESIGN Retrospective chart review. SETTING Cleveland VA Medical Center LTCF. PARTICIPANTS Randomly selected patients receiving antimicrobial therapy from October 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009. MEASUREMENTS Days of necessary and unnecessary antimicrobial therapy determined using Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines, syndromes treated with unnecessary antimicrobials, and the frequency of development of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), colonization or infection with antimicrobial resistant pathogens, and other adverse effects. RESULTS Of 1351 days of therapy prescribed in 100 regimens, 575 days (42.5%) were deemed unnecessary. Of the 575 unnecessary days of therapy, 334 (58%) were for antimicrobial regimens that were entirely unnecessary (n=42). Asymptomatic bacteriuria was the most common reason for entirely unnecessary regimens (n=21), resulting in 173 days of unnecessary therapy. Regimens that were partially unnecessary resulted in 241 (42%) days of unnecessary therapy, with longer than recommended treatment duration accounting for 226 (94%) unnecessary days of therapy. Within 30 days of completing the antimicrobial regimens, 5 patients developed CDI, 5 had colonization or infection with antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, and 10 experienced other adverse drug events. CONCLUSIONS In our VA LTCF, 43% of all days of antimicrobial therapy were unnecessary. Our findings suggest that antimicrobial stewardship interventions in LTCFs should focus on improving adherence to recommended treatment durations and eliminating inappropriate treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria.

Pneumonia in long-term care: a prospective case-control study of risk factors and impact on survival.

Pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in long-term care facilities. Prior studies of pneumonia have failed to identify risk factors potentially amenable to intervention. Our objectives were to (1) identify modifiable risk factors for the occurrence of pneumonia and (2) determine the long-term impact of pneumonia on survival. We performed a case-control study among residents of a Veterans Affairs long-term care facility. Case patients included all patients developing pneumonia from 2 days to 1 year after admission. Control subjects were matched for admission date, level of nursing care, and dependence in activities of daily living. Patients were followed up for 2 years or until death or discharge from the facility. We identified 104 case-control pairs. Risk factors significantly associated with pneumonia included witnessed aspiration (odds ratio, 13.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-111.0; P =.01), sedative medication (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-5.4; P =.01), and comorbidity score (odds ratio, 1.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-1.4; P =.05). Mortality due to pneumonia was 23% at 14 days. Patients with pneumonia had a significantly higher mortality than did controls at 1 year (75% vs 40%; P<.001); survival curves converged at 2 years. In a Cox proportional hazards regression model, an episode of pneumonia was independently associated with mortality during follow-up (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-3.9; P<.001). Among long-term care patients closely matched for age, level of dependency, and duration of institutionalization, an episode of pneumonia is associated with significant excess mortality that persists for up to 2 years. Two identified risk factors, large-volume aspiration and receipt of sedating medication, are potentially amenable to intervention.

Risk adjustment for measuring health outcomes: an application in VA long-term care.

An empirically derived risk adjustment model is useful in distinguishing among facilities in their quality of care. We used Veterans Affairs (VA) administrative databases to develop and validate a risk adjustment model to predict decline in functional status, an important outcome measure in long-term care, among patients residing in VA long-term care facilities. This model was used to compare facilities on adjusted and unadjusted rates of decline. Predictors of decline included age, time between assessments, baseline functional status, terminal illness, pressure ulcers, pulmonary disease, cancer, arthritis, congestive heart failure, substance-related disorders, and various neurologic disorders. The model performed well in the development and validation databases (c statistics, 0.70 and 0.68, respectively). Risk-adjusted rates and rankings of facilities differed from unadjusted ratings. We conclude that judgments of facility performance depend on whether risk-adjusted or unadjusted decline rates are used. Valid risk adjustment models are therefore necessary when comparing facilities on outcomes.

Functional status outcomes for assessment of quality in long-term care.

Although decline in functional status has been recommended as a quality indicator in long-term care, studies examining its use provide no consensus on which definition of functional status outcome is the most appropriate to use for quality assessment. We examined whether different definitions of decline in functional status affect judgments of quality of care provided in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) long-term care facilities. Six measures of functional status outcome that are prominent in the literature were considered. The sample consisted of 15 409 individuals who resided in VA long-term care facilities at any time from 4/1/95 to 10/1/95. Activities of daily living variables were used to generate measures of functional status. Differences between residents' baseline and semi-annual assessments were considered and facility performance using the various definitions of functional status were described. The percentage of residents seen as declining in functional status ranged from 7.7% to 31.5%, depending upon the definition applied. The definition of functional status also affected rankings, z-scores, and 'outlier' status for facilities. Judgments of facility performance are sensitive to how outcome measures are defined. Careful selection of an appropriate definition of functional status outcome is needed when assessing quality in long-term care.

Risk factors for colonization with yeast species in a Veterans Affairs long-term care facility.

To assess colonization and serious infection with yeasts and the risk factors that are associated with colonization by these organisms. Monthly surveillance for colonization and infection over a period of 2 years. A long-term-care facility (LTCF) attached to an acute-care Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The 543 men and 10 women in the facility. Colonization and serious infection rates with yeasts. Analysis of risk factors associated with yeast colonization of residents. Colonization rates were relatively stable during the 2-year period (53+/-1.8% patients colonized per month). Candida albicans was the most common colonizer, found in 35+/-.9% of patients colonized per month. The pharynx was the most commonly colonized site, with 41+/-1.4% of patients per month with pharyngeal colonization. Eighty-four percent of patients remaining in the facility for 3 or more months were colonized by yeast at some time during their stay. Presence of neurogenic bladder, leg amputation, or a low serum albumin were independently associated with yeast colonization; neither diabetes mellitus nor functional status was a risk factor for colonization by yeasts. Only four serious yeast infections in four patients (esophagitis and three urinary tract infections) were found during the 2-year period; all infections occurred in patients who were colonized by yeasts previously. In our LTCF, colonization of patients by yeasts occurred commonly in those residents remaining in the facility for 3 or more months. However, serious yeast infections occurred infrequently. It is likely that colonization of residents of LTCFs by yeasts may only become clinically important when the patient is transferred to an acute-care hospital where additional risk factors may allow the development of serious yeast infection.