How effective are monthly departmental tracer surveys? A 5-year retrospective study of 138 surveys in 96 departments

Repeat department-wide surveys are commonly employed for infection control. There remains debate concerning their cost-effectivess. The aim of the study was to measure the impact of repeat department-wide surveys in major in-patient departments (IPDs) and ambulatory facilities (AFs) in a tertiary ca...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	American journal of infection control Vol. 52; no. 8; pp. 872 - 877
Main Authors:	Kopuit, Puah, Bier, Liora, Abu-Gush, Samar, Smadga, Hanna, David, Ruth, Shraga, Tova, Dery, Ilana, Ezagui, Bath Sheva, Yinnon, Amos M., Benenson, Shmuel
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States Elsevier Inc 01-08-2024
Subjects:	Cross Infection - epidemiology Cross Infection - prevention & control Department-wide surveys Guideline Adherence - statistics & numerical data Hospital epidemiology Humans Infection control Infection Control - methods Infection Control - standards Infection control measures Infection control practitioners Retrospective Studies Surveillance Surveys and Questionnaires Tertiary Care Centers - statistics & numerical data Department-wide surveys Infection control practitioners Surveillance Infection control Hospital epidemiology Infection control measures
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	Repeat department-wide surveys are commonly employed for infection control. There remains debate concerning their cost-effectivess. The aim of the study was to measure the impact of repeat department-wide surveys in major in-patient departments (IPDs) and ambulatory facilities (AFs) in a tertiary care hospital. This was a retrospective study of 138 surveys condcuted in 96 departments over a 5-year period. Two itemized questionnaires were designed to assess the most frequently inadequately adhered to infection control measures: one for IPD (with 21 items) and the other for AF (with 17 items). A total of 72 surveys were conducted in 49 IPDs, of which 39 (54%) were repeat surveys, and 66 surveys in 47 AFs, of which 33 (50%) were repeat surveys. The baseline rate of adherence/department was 71% ± 14 for the IPD, with an increase from the first to the last survey to 82% ± 13 (P = .037). In 15/21 measured infection control items, adherence improved. Adherence to infection control items was lower at baseline in the AFs than in the IPDs (63 ± 27), with an increase to 76 ± 20 (non significant). Although adherence improved for 9 items, it deteriorated in another 8, producing an overall statistically unchanged outcome. Repeat whole-department surveys contribute moderately to increased adherence to infection control guidelines. AFs demonstrate lower rates of adherence to infection control guidelines and are less receptive to educational measures. •Department-wide surveys (DWS) are labor intensive; are they cost-effective?•We reviewed 138 surveys in 49 in-patient departments (IPD) and 47 ambulatory units (AU).•Adherence with guidelines was 71% ± 14 per IPD and increased to 82% ± 13 (P < .05).•Adherence was lower in the AU, with an increase from 63% ± 27 per AU to 76% ± 20 (NS).•Repeat DWS contribute moderately to adherence to infection control guidelines.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0196-6553 1527-3296 1527-3296
DOI:	10.1016/j.ajic.2024.04.004