Hostname: page-component-89b8bd64d-46n74 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-10T09:40:18.679Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Interfacility transfer communication of multidrug-resistant organism colonization or infection status: Practices and barriers in the acute-care setting

Part of: SHEA Research Network Collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2021

Katherine D. Ellingson ,
Brie N. Noble ,
Genevieve L. Buser ,
Graham M. Snyder ,
Jessina C. McGregor ,
Clare Rock ,
Teena Chopra ,
Lona Mody ,
Jon P. Furuno Open the ORCID record for Jon P. Furuno [Opens in a new window]  and
SHEA Research Committee
Katherine D. Ellingson
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Arizona College of Public Health, Tucson, Arizona
Brie N. Noble
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, Portland, Oregon
Genevieve L. Buser
Affiliation:
Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Providence St Vincent Medical Center, Portland, Oregon
Graham M. Snyder
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jessina C. McGregor
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, Portland, Oregon
Clare Rock
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Teena Chopra
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Detroit Medical Center and Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
Lona Mody
Affiliation:
Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Ann Arbor Veteran Affairs Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Jon P. Furuno*
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, Portland, Oregon
*
Author for correspondence: Jon P. Furuno, E-mail: furuno@ohsu.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

To describe interfacility transfer communication (IFTC) methods for notification of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) status in a diverse sample of acute-care hospitals.

Design:

Cross-sectional survey.

Participants:

Hospitals within the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Research Network (SRN).

Methods:

SRN members completed an electronic survey on protocols and methods for IFTC. We assessed differences in IFTC frequency, barriers, and perceived benefit by presence of an IFTC protocol.

Results:

Among 136 hospital representatives who were sent the survey, 54 (40%) responded, of whom 72% reported having an IFTC protocol in place. The presence of a protocol did not differ significantly by hospital size, academic affiliation, or international status. Of those with IFTC protocols, 44% reported consistent notification of MDRO status (>75% of the time) to receiving facilities, as opposed to 13% from those with no IFTC protocol (P = .04). Respondents from hospitals with IFTC protocols reported significantly fewer barriers to communication compared to those without (2.8 vs 4.3; P = .03). Overall, however, most respondents (56%) reported a lack of standardization in communication. Presence of an IFTC protocol did not affect whether respondents perceived IFTC protocols as having a significant impact on infection prevention or antimicrobial stewardship.

Conclusions:

Most respondents reported having an IFTC protocol, which was associated with reduced communication barriers at transfer. Standardization of protocols and clarity about expectations for sending and receipt of information related to MDRO status may facilitate IFTC and promote appropriate and timely infection prevention practices.

Information

Type
Original Article
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 43 , Issue 4 , April 2022 , pp. 448 - 453
Check for updates
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Smith, DL, Levin, SA, Laxminarayan, R. Strategic interactions in multi-institutional epidemics of antibiotic resistance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005;102:3153–3158.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trick, WE, Kuehnert, MJ, Quirk, SB, et al. Regional dissemination of vancomycin-resistant enterococci resulting from interfacility transfer of colonized patients. J Infect Dis 1999;180:391–396.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barnes, SL, Harris, AD, Golden, BL, Wasil, EA, Furuno, JP. Contribution of interfacility patient movement to overall methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus prevalence levels. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2011;32:1073–1078.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buser, GL, Cassidy, PM, Cunningham, MC, et al. Failure to communicate: transmission of extensively drug-resistant bla OXA-237–containing Acinetobacter baumannii—multiple facilities in Oregon, 2012–2014. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1335–1341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ray, MJ, Lin, MY, Weinstein, RA, Trick, WE. Spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae among Illinois healthcare facilities: the role of patient sharing. Clin Infect Dis 2016;63:889–893.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Simmering, JE, Polgreen, LA, Campbell, DR, Cavanaugh, JE, Polgreen, PM. Hospital transfer network structure as a risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36:1031–1037.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
King, BJ, Gilmore-Bykovskyi, AL, Roiland, RA, Polnaszek, BE, Bowers, BJ, Kind, AJH. The consequences of poor communication during transitions from hospital to skilled nursing facility: a qualitative study. J Am Geriatr Soc 2013;61:1095–1102.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, BY, Bartsch, SM, Wong, KF, et al. The importance of nursing homes in the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among hospitals. Med Care 2013;51:205–215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McKinnell, JA, Singh, RD, Miller, LG, et al. The SHIELD Orange County Project: multidrug-resistant organism prevalence in 21 nursing homes and long-term acute care facilities in southern California. Clin Infect Dis 2019;69:1566–1573.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lin, MY, Lyles-Banks, RD, Lolans, K, et al. The importance of long-term acute care hospitals in the regional epidemiology of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Clin Infect Dis 2013;57:1246–1252.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Polgreen, PM, Segre, AM. Editorial commentary: network models, patient transfers, and infection control. Clin Infect Dis 2016;63:894–895.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ong, MS, Coiera, E. A systematic review of failures in handoff communication during intrahospital transfers. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011;37:274–284.Google ScholarPubMed
Healthcare-associated infection prevention tool kits. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/hai/prevent/prevention_tools.html. Accessed July 14, 2020.Google Scholar
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. Position Statement 16-ID-09 Interfacility Communication to Prevent and Control Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistant Pathogens across Healthcare Settings. Atlanta: CSTE; 2016.Google Scholar
Barlam, TF, Cosgrove, SE, Abbo, LM, et al. Implementing an antibiotic stewardship program: guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Clin Infect Dis 2016;62(10):e51–e77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tamma, PD, Avdic, E, Li, DX. Association of adverse events with antibiotic use in hospitalized patients. JAMA Intern Med 2017;177:1308–1315.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Interfacility infection control transfer form. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/hai/pdfs/toolkits/Interfacility-IC-Transfer-Form-508.pdf. Accessed July 14, 2020.Google Scholar
Slayton, RB, Toth, D, Lee, BY, et al. Vital signs: estimated effects of a coordinated approach for action to reduce antibiotic-resistant infections in health care facilities—United States. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2015;64:826–831.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ellingson, KD, Noble, BN, Tran, D, et al. Compliance with statewide regulations for communication of patients’ multidrug-resistant organism and Clostridium difficile status during transitions of care. Am J Infect Control 2020;48:451–453.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Research Network website. https://www.shea-online.org/index.php/practice-resources/research/shea-research-network. Accessed July 14, 2020.Google Scholar
Harris, PA, Taylor, R, Thielke, R, Payne, J, Gonzalez, N, Conde, JG. Research electronic data capture (REDCap)—a metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support. J Biomed Inform 2009;42:377–381.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Walz, SE, Smith, M, Cox, E, Sattin, J, Kind, AJH. Pending laboratory tests and the hospital discharge summary in patients discharged to subacute care. J Gen Intern Med 2011;26:393–398.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reynolds, C, Kim, D, Kaplan, SH, et al. Are nursing homes less likely to admit methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriers? Am J Infect Control 2014;42:63–65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lin, CH, Hsieh, CC, Chi, CH. Hospital emergency management of emerging infectious disease using instant communication technology. Prehosp Disaster Med 2020;35:465–466.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gadbois, EA, Tyler, DA, Shield, R, et al. Lost in transition: a qualitative study of patients discharged from hospital to skilled nursing facility. J Gen Intern Med 2019;34:102–109.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ong, MS, Magrabi, F, Post, J, et al. Communication interventions to improve adherence to infection control precautions: a randomised crossover trial. BMC Infect Dis 2013;13:72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pfeiffer, CD, Cunningham, MC, Poissant, T, et al. Establishment of a statewide network for carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae prevention in a low-incidence region. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35:356–361.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: PDF

Ellingson et al. supplementary material

Ellingson et al. supplementary material

Download Ellingson et al. supplementary material(PDF)
PDF 51.5 KB