Development of trigger-based semi-automated surveillance of ventilator-associated pneumonia and central line-associated bloodstream infections in a Dutch intensive care

A qualitative, multi-centre approach to the current state of digitalisation and automation of surveillance in infection prevention and control in German hospitals

BACKGROUND

Healthcare associated infections (HAI) pose a major threat to healthcare systems resulting in an increased burden of disease. Surveillance plays a key role in rapidly identifying these infections and preventing further transmissions. Alas, in German hospitals, the majority of surveillance efforts have been heavily relying on labour intensive processes like manual chart review. In order to be able to identify further starting points for future digital tools and interventions to aid the surveillance of HAI we aimed to gain an understanding of the current state of digitalisation in the context of the general surveillance organisation in German clinics across all care-levels. The end user perspective of infection prevention and control (IPC) professionals was chosen to identify digital interventions that have the biggest impact on the daily surveillance work routines of IPC professionals. Perceived impediments in the advancement of surveillance digitalisation should be explored.

METHODS

Following the development of an interview guideline, eight IPC professionals from seven German hospitals of different care levels were questioned in semi- structured interviews between December 2022 and January 2023. These included questions about general surveillance organisation, access to digital data sources, software to aid the surveillance process as well as current issues in the surveillance process and implementation of software systems. Subsequently, after full transcription, the interview sections were categorized in code categories (first deductive then inductive coding) and analysed qualitatively.

RESULTS

Results were characterised by high heterogeneity in terms of general surveillance organisation and access to digital data sources. Software configuration of hospital and laboratory information systems (HIS/LIS) as well as patient data management systems (PDMS) varied not only between hospitals of different care levels but also between hospitals of the same care level. Outside research projects, neither fully automatic software nor solutions utilising artificial intelligence have currently been implemented in clinical routine in any of the hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

Access to digital data sources and software is increasingly available to aid surveillance of HAI. Nevertheless, surveillance processes in hospitals analysed in this study still heavily rely on manual processes. In the analysed hospitals, there is an implementation and funding gap of (semi-) automatic surveillance solutions in clinical practice, especially in healthcare facilities of lower care levels.

Systematic scoping review of automated systems for the surveillance of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections related to intravascular catheters

INTRODUCTION

Intravascular catheters are crucial devices in medical practice that increase the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), and related health-economic adverse outcomes. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of published automated algorithms for surveillance of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) and central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI).

METHODS

We performed a scoping review based on a systematic search of the literature in PubMed and EMBASE from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2021. Studies were included if they evaluated predictive performance of automated surveillance algorithms for CLABSI/CRBSI detection and used manually collected surveillance data as reference. We assessed the design of the automated systems, including the definitions used to develop algorithms (CLABSI versus CRBSI), the datasets and denominators used, and the algorithms evaluated in each of the studies.

RESULTS

We screened 586 studies based on title and abstract, and 99 were assessed based on full text. Nine studies were included in the scoping review. Most studies were monocentric (n = 5), and they identified CLABSI (n = 7) as an outcome. The majority of the studies used administrative and microbiological data (n = 9) and five studies included the presence of a vascular central line in their automated system. Six studies explained the denominator they selected, five of which chose central line-days. The most common rules and steps used in the algorithms were categorized as hospital-acquired rules, infection rules (infection versus contamination), deduplication, episode grouping, secondary BSI rules (secondary versus primary BSI), and catheter-associated rules.

CONCLUSION

The automated surveillance systems that we identified were heterogeneous in terms of definitions, datasets and denominators used, with a combination of rules in each algorithm. Further guidelines and studies are needed to develop and implement algorithms to detect CLABSI/CRBSI, with standardized definitions, appropriate data sources and suitable denominators.

The accuracy of fully-automated algorithms for the surveillance of central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection in hospitalised patients

BACKGROUND

Continuous surveillance for healthcare-associated infections such as central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections (CVC-BSI) is crucial for prevention. However, traditional surveillance methods are resource-intensive and prone to bias. This study aimed to develop and validate fully-automated surveillance algorithms for CVC-BSI.

METHODS

Two algorithms were developed using electronic health record data from 1000 admissions with a positive blood culture (BCx) at Karolinska University Hospital from 2017: (1) Combining microbiological findings in BCx and CVC cultures with BSI symptoms; (2) Only using microbiological findings. These algorithms were validated in 5170 potential CVC-BSI-episodes from all admissions in 2018-2019, and results extrapolated to all potential CVC-BSI-episodes within this period (n = 181,354). The reference standard was manual record review according to ECDC's definition of microbiologically confirmed CVC-BSI (CRI3-CVC).

RESULTS

In the potential CVC-BSI-episodes, 51 fulfilled ECDC's definition and the algorithms identified 47 and 49 episodes as CVC-BSI, respectively. Both algorithms performed well in assessing CVC-BSI. Overall, algorithm 2 performed slightly better with in the total period a sensitivity of 0.880 (95%-CI 0.783-0.959), specificity of 1.000 (95%-CI 0.999-1.000), PPV of 0.918 (95%-CI 0.833-0.981) and NPV of 1.000 (95%-CI 0.999-1.000). Incidence according to the reference and algorithm 2 was 0.33 and 0.31 per 1000 in-patient hospital-days, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Both fully-automated surveillance algorithms for CVC-BSI performed well and could effectively replace manual surveillance. The simpler algorithm, using only microbiology data, is suitable when BCx testing adheres to recommendations, otherwise the algorithm using symptom data might be required. Further validation in other settings is necessary to assess the algorithms' generalisability.

Reducing the dosing frequency of selective digestive tract decontamination to three times daily provides effective decontamination of Gram-negative bacteria

This study evaluated the effectiveness of selective digestive tract decontamination (SDD) application three times daily (t.i.d.) compared to the standard four times daily (q.i.d.). Retrospective equivalence (combined non-inferiority and non-superiority design) study with a before-and-after design on a tertiary ICU in which the SDD frequency was reduced from q.i.d. to t.i.d. All patients with ICU admissions ≥72h and with ≥2 surveillance cultures collected on different dates were included in this study. We compared successful decontamination of Gram-negative bacteria (GNB). Furthermore, time to decontamination, ICU-acquired GNB bacteraemia and 28-day mortality were compared between the two groups. In total 1958 ICU admissions (1236 q.i.d., 722 t.i.d). Decontamination was achieved during the first week of admission in 77% and 76% of patients receiving SDD q.i.d and t.i.d., respectively. Successful decontamination within 14 days (without consecutive acquisition of Gram-negative bacteria) was achieved in 69.3% of the admissions with q.i.d. versus 66.8% in t.i.d. SDD (p-value = 0.2519). The proportions of successful decontamination of GNB were equivalent in both groups (−0.025, 98% CI: −0.087; 0.037). There was no significant difference in time to decontamination between the two regimens (log-rank test p-value = 0.55). Incidence (episodes/1000 days) of ICU-acquired GNB bacteraemia was 0.9 in both groups, and OR for death at day 28 in the t.i.d. group compared to the q.i.d. group was 0.99 (95% confidence interval, 0.80–1.21). This study shows that a t.i.d. application regimen achieves similar outcomes to the standard q.i.d. regime, for both microbiological and clinical outcome measures.

Device-associated health care-associated infections: The effectiveness of a 3-year prevention and control program in the Republic of Cyprus

BACKGROUND

Device-associated health care-associated infections (DA-HAIs) are a major threat to patient safety, particularly in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a bundle of infection control measures to reduce DA-HAIs in the ICU of a General Hospital in the Republic of Cyprus, over a 3-year period.

METHODS

We studied 599 ICU patients with a length of stay (LOS) for at least 48 hours. Our prospective cohort study was divided into three surveillance phases. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), central line-associated blood-stream infections (CLABSI), and catheter-associated blood-stream infections (CAUTI) incidence rates, LOS, and mortality were calculated before, during, and after the infection prevention and control programme.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant reduction in the number of DA-HAI events during the surveillance periods, associated with DA-HAIs prevention efforts. In 2015 (prior to programme implementation), the baseline DA-HAIs instances were 43: 16 VAP (10.1/1000 Device Days), 21 (15.9/1000DD) CLABSIs, and 6 (2.66/1000DD) CAUTIs, (n = 198). During the second phase (2016), CLABSIs prevention measures were implemented and the number of infections were 24: 14 VAP (12.21/1000DD), 4 (4.2/1000DD) CLABSIs, and 6 (3.22/1000DD) CAUTIs, (n = 184). During the third phase (2017), VAP and CAUTI prevention measures were again implemented and the rates were 6: (3 VAP: 12.21/1000DD), 2 (1.95/1000DD) CLABSIs, and 1 (0.41/1000DD) CAUTIs, (n = 217). There was an overall reduction of 87% in the total number of DA-HAIs instances for the period 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2017.

CONCLUSIONS

The significant overall reduction in DA-HAI rates indicates that a comprehensive infection control programme can affect DA-HAI rates.

Electronically assisted surveillance systems of healthcare-associated infections: a systematic review

Background

Surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) is the basis of each infection control programme and, in case of acute care hospitals, should ideally include all hospital wards, medical specialties as well as all types of HAI. Traditional surveillance is labour intensive and electronically assisted surveillance systems (EASS) hold the promise to increase efficiency.

Objectives

To give insight in the performance characteristics of different approaches to EASS and the quality of the studies designed to evaluate them.

Methods

In this systematic review, online databases were searched and studies that compared an EASS with a traditional surveillance method were included. Two different indicators were extracted from each study, one regarding the quality of design (including reporting efficiency) and one based on the performance (e.g. specificity and sensitivity) of the EASS presented.

Results

A total of 78 studies were included. The majority of EASS (n = 72) consisted of an algorithm-based selection step followed by confirmatory assessment. The algorithms used different sets of variables. Only a minority (n = 7) of EASS were hospital-wide and designed to detect all types of HAI. Sensitivity of EASS was generally high (> 0.8), but specificity varied (0.37–1). Less than 20% (n = 14) of the studies presented data on the efficiency gains achieved.

Conclusions

Electronically assisted surveillance of HAI has yet to reach a mature stage and to be used routinely in healthcare settings. We recommend that future studies on the development and implementation of EASS of HAI focus on thorough validation, reproducibility, standardised datasets and detailed information on efficiency.

Development and validation of a semi-automated surveillance system-lowering the fruit for non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia (nvHAP) prevention

Objectives

Conducting manual surveillance of non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia (nvHAP) using ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) surveillance criteria is very resource intensive. We developed and validated a semi-automated surveillance system for nvHAP, and describe nvHAP incidence and aetiology at our hospital.

Methods

We applied an automated classification algorithm mirroring ECDC definition criteria to distinguish patients ‘not at risk’ from patients ‘at risk’ for suffering from nvHAP. ‘At risk’-patients were manually screened for nvHAP. For validation, we applied the reference standard of full manual evaluation to three validation samples comprising 2091 patients.

Results

Among the 39 519 University Hospital Zurich inpatient discharges in 2017, the algorithm identified 2454 ‘at-risk’ patients, reducing the number of medical records to be manually screened by 93.8%. From this subset, nvHAP was identified in 251 patients (0.64%, 95%CI: 0.57–0.73). Sensitivity, negative predictive value, and accuracy of semi-automated surveillance versus full manual surveillance were lowest in the validation sample consisting of patients with HAP according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) discharge diagnostic codes, with 97.5% (CI: 93.7–99.3%), 99.2% (CI: 97.9–99.8%), and 99.4% (CI: 98.4–99.8%), respectively. The overall incidence rate of nvHAP was 0.83/1000 patient days (95%CI: 0.73–0.94), with highest rates in haematology/oncology, cardiac and thoracic surgery, and internal medicine including subspecialties.

Conclusions

The semi-automated surveillance demonstrated a very high sensitivity, negative predictive value, and accuracy. This approach significantly reduces manual surveillance workload, thus making continuous nvHAP surveillance feasible as a pivotal element for successful prevention efforts.

WMSS: A Web-Based Multitiered Surveillance System for Predicting CLABSI

Central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates are a key quality metric for comparing hospital quality and safety. Manual surveillance systems for CLABSIs are time-consuming and often limited to intensive care units (ICUs). A computer-automated method of CLABSI detection can improve the validity of surveillance. A new web-based, multitiered surveillance system for predicting and reducing CLABSI is proposed. The system has the capability to collect patient-related data from hospital databases and hence predict the patient infection automatically based on knowledge discovery rules and CLABSI decision standard algorithms. In addition, the system has a built-in simulator for generating patients' data records, when needed, offering the capability to train nurses and medical staff for enhancing their qualifications. Applying the proposed system, both CLABSI rates and patient treatment costs can be reduced significantly. The system has many benefits, among which there is the following: it is a web-based system that can collect real patients' data from many IT resources using iPhone, iPad, laptops, Internet, scanners, and hospital databases. These facilities help to collect patients' actual data quickly and safely in electronic format and hence predict CLABSI efficiently. Automation of the patients' data diagnosis process helps in reducing CLABSI detection times. The system is multimedia-based; it uses text, colors, and graphics to enhance patient healthcare report generation and charts. It helps healthcare decision makers to review and approve policies and surveillance plans to reduce and prevent CLABSI.

Is HELICS the Right Way? Lack of Chest Radiography Limits Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Surveillance in Wales

Introduction: The reported incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in Wales is low compared with surveillance data from other European regions. It is unclear whether this reflects success of the Welsh healthcare-associated infection prevention measures or limitations in the application of European VAP surveillance methods. Our primary aim was to investigate episodes of ventilator-associated respiratory tract infection (VARTI), to identify episodes that met established criteria for VAP, and to explore reasons why others did not, according to the Hospitals in Europe Link for Infection Control through Surveillance (HELICS) definitions.

Materials and Methods: During two 14-day study periods 2012–2014, investigators reviewed all invasively ventilated patients in all 14 Welsh Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Episodes were identified in which the clinical team had commenced antibiotic therapy because of suspected VARTI. Probability of pneumonia was estimated using a modified Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (mCPIS). Episodes meeting HELICS definitions of VAP were identified, and reasons for other episodes not meeting definitions examined. In the second period, each patient was also assessed with regards to the development of a ventilator-associated event (VAE), according to recent US definitions.

Results: The study included 306 invasively ventilated patients; 282 were admitted to ICU for 48 h or more. 32 (11.3%) patients were commenced on antibiotics for suspected VARTI. Ten of these episodes met HELICS definitions of VAP, an incidence of 4.2 per 1000 intubation days. In 48% VARTI episodes, concurrent chest radiography was not performed, precluding the diagnosis of VAP. Mechanical ventilation (16.0 vs. 8.0 days; p = 0.01) and ICU stay (25.0 vs. 11.0 days; p = 0.01) were significantly longer in patients treated for VARTI compared to those not treated. There was no overlap between episodes of VARTI and of VAE.

Discussion: HELICS VAP surveillance definitions identified less than one-third of cases in which antibiotics were commenced for suspected ventilator-associated RTI. Lack of chest radiography precluded nearly 50% cases from meeting the surveillance definition of VAP, and as a consequence we are almost certainly underestimating the incidence of VAP in Wales.