scholarly journals Measuring Implementation of Antibiotic Stewardship in Critical Access Hospitals Using the NHSN Annual Facility Survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s436-s436
Author(s):  
Natalia Vargas ◽  
Sarah Brinkman ◽  
Laura Grangaard

Background: Critical access hospitals (CAHs) serving rural communities have numerous limitations regarding resources, infrastructure, and staffing to support antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) and related quality improvement activities. The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) established the Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) to provide CAHs with specialized technical assistance in quality improvement data collection and reporting to drive improvements in the quality of care and to reduce barriers to establishing ASPs. In 2016, FORHP developed an antibiotic stewardship process measure in partnership with the CDC to assess progress on implementing ASPs and to optimize hospital quality improvement practices related to antibiotic use. This is the first measure to be successfully implemented and reported at a national level to improve the judicious use of antibiotics in hospitals. Methods: A process measure was developed to assess adherence to the 7 core elements of a successful hospital ASP (ie, leadership, accountability, drug expertise, action, tracking, reporting, and education), as defined by CDC guidelines. Implementation was accomplished through CAH participation in the NHSN Annual Facility Survey (AFS). Responses were analyzed to assess fidelity to each core element, to identify trends, and to benchmark measure reporting among 1,350 CAHs across the United States. Responses were mapped to 7 core element categories, and the total number of positive responses were matched to each core element for a specific survey year to track progress. Overall, the measure assessed progress in meeting all 7 core elements, as well as program robustness in the number of actions implemented and the amount of data tracked and reported at each hospital. NHSN reports were generated to tailor technical assistance activities and to assist hospitals with measure uptake and reporting. Results: CAH participation in the NHSN significantly increased from 2014 to 2018 (83% response rate). From 2014 through 2018, reporting of the new antibiotic stewardship measure consistently increased. CAHs that met all core elements increased from 18% (2014) to 73% (2018). Performance-based benchmarks enabled hospital comparisons and the establishment of reporting goals. Conclusions: This study highlights viable approaches to measuring antibiotic stewardship at a national level to drive improvements in care at hospitals of any size. The implementation of the antibiotic stewardship measure across CAHs demonstrates the impact of federal programs like MBQIP for hospitals that are building capacity for quality improvement. For the first time, CAHs were able to measure and compare their implementation of ASPs to other hospitals at the state and national level.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Stroke ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shyam Prabhakaran ◽  
Robin Hamann ◽  
Kathleen O’Neill ◽  
Michelle Gardner ◽  
Peggy Jones

Background: Critical access hospitals (CAH) are the first point of stroke care in many rural regions of the United States (US). The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN), a network of 51 CAH in Illinois, began a quality improvement program to address acute stroke care in 2009. We evaluated the performance on several metrics in acute stroke care at CAH between 2009 and 2011. Methods: Currently, 28 of 51 CAHs in Illinois currently participate in the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines - Stroke (GWTG-S) registry for quality improvement. The GWTG-S registry captured elements including demographics, diagnosis, times of arrival, imaging completion, and intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) administration, and final discharge disposition. We analyzed the change in percent of stroke patients receiving tPA, door-to-needle (DTN) time, and proportion of total stroke patients admitted versus transferred to another facility over the 3 years. Fisher’s exact and Mann-Whitney tests were used as appropriate. Results: In the baseline assessment (2009), there were 111 strokes from 8 sites which grew to 12 sites and 305 strokes in year 1 (2010) and 14 sites and 328 strokes in year 3 (2011). The rate of tPA use for ischemic stroke was 2.2% in 2009, 4.0% in 2010, and 6.2% in 2011 (P=0.20). EMS arrival (41.1%), EMS pre-notification (82.6%), door-to-CT times (median 35 minutes; 34.6% < 25 minutes), and DTN times (average 93 minutes; 13.3% DTN time < 60 minutes) were not different over time. The rate of transfer from CAH to another hospital (51.3%) was constant. Every patient that received tPA except 1 (96.9%) was transferred (drip-ship) for post-tPA care. Conclusions: Improving acute stroke care at CAHs is feasible and represents a significant opportunity to increase tPA utilization in rural areas. As stroke systems develop, it is vital that CAHs be included in quality improvement efforts. The ICAHN stroke collaborative provided the opportunity to coordinate resources, share best practices, participate in targeted educational programming, and utilize data for performance improvement through the funded GWTG-S registry.


2021 ◽  
pp. 117-124
Author(s):  
Y.V. Harust ◽  
V.I. Melnyk ◽  
V.V. Mirgorod-Karpova ◽  
B.O. Pavlenko ◽  
Yu.M. Kiiashko ◽  
...  

The authors of the article study the foreign experience of the administrative and legal organization of systems for evaluating the effectiveness of international legal assistance (ITA). The article notes that the definition of international technical assistance in different countries is interpreted differently. States, at the national level, establish their own definitions of the concept, which may differ in content and characteristics. It is established that the assessment of the effectiveness of the use of ITA has the ultimate goal to ensure its better use. Both ITA donors and recipients are interested in this. The largest ITA donors have been identified as Japan, the United States, and the European Union. Each of these donors has its own system for evaluating the effectiveness of the ITA provided. In the study of the model for evaluating the effectiveness of the US ITA, the key role of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was highlighted. The Agency itself has developed tools to monitor the assistance provided, implements analysis programs, publishes reports, and conducts training among its employees. In Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have been found to be the central policy-makers in Japan. These bodies issue regulatory regulations on which the performance appraisal process is based, analyze experience, conduct training, and publish reports on their official websites. In the Japanese model for assessing the effectiveness of the provision and use of ITA's, the key features are assessing the usefulness of the assistance provided in terms of Japan's diplomatic interests. It was found that a characteristic feature of the evaluation system of the European Union is the functioning of the Regulatory Control Council, which reviews and improves the legislation in the field of ITA. The article establishes the relationship between national legal systems and global standards for assessing international assistance. It is established that the donors of the ITA, for the organization of the system of evaluation of its effectiveness, use as a basis the Quality Standards for evaluation, which are developed by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s181-s182
Author(s):  
Cecilia Joshi ◽  
Elizabeth Mothershed ◽  
Wendy Vance ◽  
Anita McLees ◽  
Margaret Paek ◽  
...  

Background: There is a critical need for comprehensive and effective healthcare- associated infection and antibiotic resistance (HAI/AR) programs in the United States. Since 2009, the CDC has funded and engaged public health, healthcare, academic, community, corporate, federal, and other stakeholders to develop effective HAI programs that rely upon such these stakeholders for success. State and local public health programs play a central role in these programs because they bridge healthcare and the community. They may regulate and assess facilities, collect and validate data on infections, and implement prevention programs. Myriad other state, federal, and privately supported stakeholders play essential roles. CDC is developing a framework for highly effective state HAI/AR programs that describes core program elements and can be used as a strategic tool, both in day to day processes and in a public health crisis, such the COVID-19 response. Program elements may include engaged leaders and champions, reliable data for action, effective policies, evaluation, program innovation, communications, and partner networks. This presentation describes a success framework for developing and leveraging HAI/AR partner networks to achieve and sustain their capacities and impact.Methods: CDC collected qualitative data in select states and combined with expert opinion to draft core elements for success among a network of partners working to achieve HAI/AR and COVID-19 response and prevention in states. The core elements serve as a foundation for the framework. Ongoing analyses will inform refinement of the core elements and framework. The CDC is gathering stakeholders’ input on the framework for applicability and usability in states, with the goal of national implementation. Results: Currently, data indicate the following core elements for partner networks: leadership, strategy and structure; policies; innovation and adaptability; implementation; expertise and resources; communications; and monitoring and evaluation. The framework includes a process for partner network development and sustenance, maturity levels, and supporting tools. States have reported support for core elements and agreed that a success framework is beneficial to achieving core elements. Multiple states have reported support for a process that includes building partner networks and clearly defining roles, as a critical step toward full implementation of Program core elements. Conclusions: A framework for building high-level strategy and competency in partner networks has never been developed for HAI/AR programs. Effective partner networks represent an essential core element of a comprehensive state HAI/AR program. This framework could be applied to a variety of programs and public health contexts, increasing the effectiveness of partner networks.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S706-S707
Author(s):  
Staci Kvak ◽  
Chloe Bryson-Cahn ◽  
Marisa A D’Angeli ◽  
Zahra Kassamali ◽  
Rupali Jain ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Critical access hospitals (CAH), defined as those with 25 or fewer beds and/or located in rural settings, may have difficulty implementing core elements of antimicrobial stewardship (CES) due to limited human resources, expertise, and funding. A 2015 National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) hospital survey found only 26% of CAH reported implementing all 7 CES compared with 50% of larger hospitals across the United States. The University of Washington Tele-Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (UW TASP) was developed through partnership with the University of Washington for hospitals lacking stewardship resources. The state department of health (DOH) provided funding to allow CAH to participate. Methods In January 2017, CAH were recruited to join UW TASP and participate in weekly 60 minute audiovisual conference calls led by an interdisciplinary team of infectious diseases physicians, pharmacists and microbiologists. Each session included a 15-minute didactic on stewardship topics followed by a discussion of case studies presented by participating hospitals. UW TASP faculty visited CAH to foster a collegial relationship between teams. Using hospital-reported metrics from the NHSN hospital survey reported in year 2016–2018 for years 2015–2017, we compared CES implementation by CAH participating in UW TASP (TASP CAH) in 2017 (n = 17) to those not participating (non-TASP CAH) (n = 22). Results TASP CAH reported increased implementation of all 7 CES from 29% (2015) to 59% (2016) before joining TASP to 76% (2017) after joining TASP (Figure 1). Non-TASP CAH reported implementation increased from 32% (2015) to 45% (2016) to 59% (2017). By the end of 2017, TASP CAH also succeeded in implementing individual CES to a greater degree than did non-TASP CAH (Table 1). Conclusion TASP CAH reported more successful implementation of CES than did non-TASP CAH. Improved CES implementation in TASP CAH may in part be due to differences in baseline hospital characteristics; however, expertise and support provided by UW TASP likely contributed. The use of telehealth mentoring increased antimicrobial stewardship in this resource-limited setting. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. s15-s16
Author(s):  
Brittany Morgan ◽  
Larissa May ◽  
Haylee Bettencourt

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that outpatient settings account for 85%–90% of antibiotic prescriptions in the United States, and ~30% of those prescriptions are unnecessary. One of the most common examples of inappropriate prescribing is for viral upper respiratory infections (URIs). Up to 50% of prescriptions written for URIs are deemed inappropriate, making it an important focus for Antibiotic Stewardship programs. In this study, we evaluated the effect of a behaviorally enhanced quality improvement intervention in reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for viral URIs. Methods: A quasi-experimental study assessed the effects of an Antibiotic Stewardship intervention on antibiotic prescribing for viral URIs. The outcome of interest was a change in the number of antibiotics prescribed at each participating clinic over a 1-year preimplementation period and a 2-year postimplementation period. Time trends were analyzed using segmented regression analysis, and a stepped wedge design was used to account for intervention roll-out across clinics. Results: From 2017 to 2020, there were 63,028 patient visits in 21 clinic locations. Antibiotics were prescribed an average of 11.5% and 5.8% of visits during the pre- and postimplementation periods, respectively. The most frequently prescribed antibiotic over the study period was azithromycin (n = 3,551), followed by amoxicillin (n = 924). Overall, the intervention was associated with a 46% reduction in antibiotic prescriptions or 0.54 times (P = .001) as many inappropriate antibiotics prescribed as before the intervention. There was no significant change in the month-to-month trend in inappropriate prescriptions after the intervention was implemented (P = .87). Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that a behaviorally enhanced quality improvement intervention to reduce inappropriate prescribing for URI in ambulatory care encounters was successful in reducing potentially inappropriate prescriptions for presumed viral respiratory infections.Funding: NoDisclosures: None


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S55-S56
Author(s):  
Katryna A Gouin ◽  
Andrea J Cool ◽  
Nimalie D Stone ◽  
Lauri Hicks ◽  
Kara M Jacobs Slifka ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) set standards for nursing homes (NH) and conduct inspections to assess adherence to regulatory requirements, including antibiotic stewardship implementation. NHs not meeting requirements are issued a citation. We reviewed text summaries for citations related to antibiotic stewardship to assess implementation in NHs. Methods We obtained publicly available antibiotic stewardship deficiency citations issued to NHs from 9/2018—7/2019 and NH characteristics data from CMS Nursing Home Compare. We used the χ2 test to compare characteristics of NHs with and without citations. We did a qualitative review of a randomly selected subset (318/635) of antibiotic stewardship citations and classified citations into one or more of four categories based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship: 1) Leadership & Accountability, 2) Action, 3) Tracking & Reporting, 4) Education (Fig 1). We developed subcategories based on our iterative review process to further describe the citations. Each citation was reviewed by two reviewers and yielded 95% agreement in categorization. Discordant citations were reviewed by a third reviewer, and core element categories with agreement by ≥2/3 reviewers were assigned, resulting in 99% agreement. Antibiotic Stewardship Citation Deficiency Category Common Themes and Examples from Citation Text from Qualitative Review of Antibiotic Stewardship Citation Deficiencies. Results There were 635 NH stewardship citation deficiencies across 44 states from 9/2018—7/2019. NHs with a citation were more likely to have &lt; 100 beds (60% vs. 50%) and for-profit ownership (75% vs. 70%) (Table 1). Of the 318 reviewed citations, Action was cited in 67% of NHs; 115/213 had missing or incomplete criteria documented for antibiotic initiation. Tracking & Reporting was cited in 40% of NHs; 117/126 had missing or incomplete antibiotic or infection tracking logs. Leadership & Accountability was cited in 23% of NHs; 41/72 NHs had no stewardship policy available. Education was cited in 13% of NHs (Fig 2). Table 1. Characteristics of US Nursing Homes With and Without an Antibiotic Stewardship Citation Deficiency from 9/2018-7/2019. Figure 2. Types of Antibiotic Stewardship Citation Deficiencies in US Nursing Homes, 2018-2019, N=318. Conclusion The most common opportunities for improvement fell under appropriate assessment and documentation of criteria for antibiotic initiation at the resident and facility-level. Training NH staff to use available resources for antibiotic stewardship activities may improve implementation. Further evaluation to identify barriers to implementation is needed. Disclosures David Gifford, MD, MPH, American Healthcare Association (Employee)


Shore & Beach ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 53-64
Author(s):  
Edward Atkin ◽  
Dan Reineman ◽  
Jesse Reiblich ◽  
David Revell

Surf breaks are finite, valuable, and vulnerable natural resources, that not only influence community and cultural identities, but are a source of revenue and provide a range of health benefits. Despite these values, surf breaks largely lack recognition as coastal resources and therefore the associated management measures required to maintain them. Some countries, especially those endowed with high-quality surf breaks and where the sport of surfing is accepted as mainstream, have recognized the value of surfing resources and have specific policies for their conservation. In Aotearoa New Zealand surf breaks are included within national environmental policy. Aotearoa New Zealand has recently produced Management Guidelines for Surfing Resources (MGSR), which were developed in conjunction with universities, regional authorities, not-for-profit entities, and government agencies. The MGSR provide recommendations for both consenting authorities and those wishing to undertake activities in the coastal marine area, as well as tools and techniques to aid in the management of surfing resources. While the MGSR are firmly aligned with Aotearoa New Zealand’s cultural and legal frameworks, much of their content is applicable to surf breaks worldwide. In the United States, there are several national-level and state-level statutes that are generally relevant to various aspects of surfing resources, but there is no law or policy that directly addresses them. This paper describes the MGSR, considers California’s existing governance frameworks, and examines the potential benefits of adapting and expanding the MGSR in this state.


Author(s):  
Mary Donnelly ◽  
Jessica Berg

This chapter explores a number of key issues: the role of competence and capacity, advance directives, and decisions made for others. It analyses the ways these are treated in the United States and in selected European jurisdictions. National-level capacity legislation and human rights norms play a central role in Europe, which means that healthcare decisions in situations of impaired capacity operate in accordance with a national standard. In the United States, the legal framework is more state-based (rather than federal), and the courts have played a significant role, with both common law and legislation varying considerably across jurisdictions. Despite these differences, this chapter identifies some similar legal principles which have developed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S96-S96
Author(s):  
Katryna A Gouin ◽  
Sarah Kabbani; Angela Anttila ◽  
Josephine Mak ◽  
Elisabeth Mungai ◽  
Ti Tanissha McCray ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Since 2016, nursing homes (NHs) enrolled in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s NHSN Long-term Care Facility (LTCF) Component have reported on their implementation of the core elements of antibiotic stewardship. In 2016, 42% of NHs reported implementing all seven core elements. Recent regulations require antibiotic stewardship programs in NHs. The objectives of this analysis were to track national progress in implementation of the core elements and evaluate how time dedicated to infection prevention and control (IPC) is associated with the implementation of the core elements. Methods We used the NHSN LTCF 2016–2018 Annual Surveys to assess NH characteristics and implementation of the core elements, defined as self-reported implementation of at least one corresponding stewardship activity. We reported absolute differences in percent implementation. We used log-binomial regression models to estimate the association between weekly IPC hours and the implementation of all seven core elements, while controlling for confounding by facility characteristics. Results We included 7,506 surveys from 2016–2018. In 2018, 71% of NHs reported implementation of all seven core elements, a 28% increase from 2016 (Fig. 1). The greatest increases in implementation from 2016–2018 were in Education (+19%), Reporting (+18%) and Drug Expertise (+15%) (Fig. 2). Ninety-eight percent of NHs had an individual responsible for antibiotic stewardship activities (Accountability), with 30% indicating that the role was fulfilled by an infection preventionist. Furthermore, 71% of NHs reported pharmacist involvement in improving antibiotic use, an increase of 27% since 2016. NHs that reported at least 20 hours of IPC activity per week were 14% more likely to implement all seven core elements, when controlling for facility ownership and affiliation, 95% CI: (1.07, 1.20). Conclusion NHs reported substantial progress in antibiotic stewardship implementation from 2016–2018. Improvements in accessing drug expertise, providing education and reporting antibiotic use may reflect increased stewardship awareness and use of resources among NH providers under new regulatory requirements. NHs with at least 20 hours dedicated to IPC per week may have greater capacity to implement all core elements. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1816
Author(s):  
Michael F. Tlusty

Humans under-consume fish, especially species high in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Food-based dietary guidelines are one means for nations to encourage the consumption of healthy, nutritious food. Here, associations between dietary omega-3 consumption and food-based dietary guidelines, gross domestic product, the ranked price of fish, and the proportions of marine fish available at a national level were assessed. Minor associations were found between consumption and variables, except for food-based dietary guidelines, where calling out seafood in FBDGs did not associate with greater consumption. This relationship was explored for consumers in the United States, and it was observed that the predominant seafood they ate, shrimp, resulted in little benefit for dietary omega-3 consumption. Seafood is listed under the protein category in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, and aggregating seafood under this category may limit a more complete understanding of its nutrient benefits beyond protein.


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