A Novel Approach for a Novel Pathogen: Using a Home Assessment Team to Evaluate Patients for COVID-19.

Thousands of people in the United States have required testing for SARS-CoV-2. Evaluation for a special pathogen is resource intensive. We report an innovative approach to home assessment that, in collaboration with public health, enables safe evaluation and specimen collection outside the healthcare setting, avoiding unnecessary exposures and resource utilization.

Prevalence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection and Outcomes Among Symptomatic Healthcare Workers in Seattle, Washington.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) who serve on the front lines of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been at increased risk for infection due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in some settings. Healthcare-acquired infection has been reported in similar epidemics, but there are limited data on the prevalence of COVID-19 among HCWs and their associated clinical outcomes in the United States. METHODS: We established 2 high-throughput employee testing centers in Seattle, Washington, with drive-through and walk-through options for symptomatic employees in the University of Washington Medicine system and its affiliated organizations. Using data from these testing centers, we report the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among symptomatic employees and describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes among employees with COVID-19. RESULTS: Between 12 March 2020 and 23 April 2020, 3477 symptomatic employees were tested for COVID-19 at 2 employee testing centers; 185 (5.3%) employees tested positive for COVID-19. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was similar when comparing frontline HCWs (5.2%) with nonfrontline staff (5.5%). Among 174 positive employees reached for follow-up at least 14 days after diagnosis, 6 reported COVID-related hospitalization; all recovered. CONCLUSIONS: During the study period, we observed that the prevalence of positive SARS-CoV-2 tests among symptomatic HCWs was comparable to that of symptomatic nonfrontline staff. Reliable and rapid access to testing for employees is essential to preserve the health, safety, and availability of the healthcare workforce during this pandemic and to facilitate the rapid return of SARS-CoV-2-negative employees to work.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Among Residents and Staff Members of an Independent and Assisted Living Community for Older Adults - Seattle, Washington, 2020.

In the Seattle, Washington metropolitan area, where the first case of novel coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) in the United States was reported (1), a community-level outbreak is ongoing with evidence of rapid spread and high morbidity and mortality among older adults in long-term care skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) (2,3). However, COVID-19 morbidity among residents of senior independent and assisted living communities, in which residents do not live as closely together as do residents in SNFs and do not require skilled nursing services, has not been described. During March 5-9, 2020, two residents of a senior independent and assisted living community in Seattle (facility 1) were hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 infection; on March 6, social distancing and other preventive measures were implemented in the community. UW Medicine (the health system linked to the University of Washington), Public Health - Seattle & King County, and CDC conducted an investigation at the facility. On March 10, all residents and staff members at facility 1 were tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and asked to complete a questionnaire about their symptoms; all residents were tested again 7 days later. Among 142 residents and staff members tested during the initial phase, three of 80 residents (3.8%) and two of 62 staff members (3.2%) had positive test results. The three residents had no symptoms at the time of testing, although one reported an earlier cough that had resolved. A fourth resident, who had negative test results in the initial phase, had positive test results 7 days later. This resident was asymptomatic on both days. Possible explanations for so few cases of COVID-19 in this residential community compared with those in several Seattle SNFs with high morbidity and mortality include more social distancing among residents and less contact with health care providers. In addition, early implementation of stringent isolation and protective measures after identification of two COVID-19 cases might have been effective in minimizing spread of the virus in this type of setting. When investigating a potential outbreak of COVID-19 in senior independent and assisted living communities, symptom screening is unlikely to be sufficient to identify all persons infected with SARS-CoV-2. Adherence to CDC guidance to prevent COVID-19 transmission in senior independent and assisted living communities (4) could be instrumental in preventing a facility outbreak.

Hospital Length of Stay Among Patients Receiving Intermittent Versus Prolonged Piperacillin/Tazobactam Infusion in the Intensive Care Units.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to evaluate clinical outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) patients following a hospital-wide initiative of prolonged piperacillin/tazobactam (PIP/TAZ) infusion. METHODS: Retrospective observational study of patients >18 years old who was hospitalized in the ICU receiving PIP/TAZ for >72 hours during the preimplementation (June 1, 2010 to May 31, 2011) and postimplementation (July 7, 2011 to June 30, 2014) periods. RESULTS: There were 124 and 429 patients who met inclusion criteria with average age of 54.3 and 56.9 years, and average duration of PIP/TAZ therapy was 6.1 ± 2.8 days and 5.9 ± 3.4 days in the pre- and postimplementation period, respectively. Intensive care unit and hospital length of stay (LOS) following initiation of PIP/TAZ were 8.0 ± 8.4 days versus 6.4 ± 6.8 days and 26.3 ± 22.8 days versus 20.4 ± 16.1 days among patients in the pre- and postimplementation periods, respectively. Compared to patients who received intermittent PIP/TAZ infusion, the adjusted difference in ICU and hospital LOS was 0.6 ± 0.8 days (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.9 to 2.1 days) and 5.6 ± 2.1 days (95% CI: 1.4 - 9.7 days) shorter among patients who received prolonged PIP/TAZ infusion. At hospital discharge, 19 (15.3%) intermittent infusion and 74 (17.2%) prolonged infusion recipients had died. In comparison to intermittent infusion recipients, the adjusted odds ratio for mortality was 1.17 (95% CI: 0.65-2.1) with prolonged infusion. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated a reduction in hospital LOS with prolonged PIP/TAZ infusion among critically ill patients. Randomized trials are needed to further validate these findings.

Epidemiology and Microbiology of Sepsis Syndromes in a University-Affiliated Urban Teaching Hospital and Level-1 Trauma and Burn Center.

PURPOSE: To use the 2010 to 2011 data collected by structured chart review to provide a detailed up-to-date description of the epidemiology and microbiology of the sepsis syndromes. METHODS: Prospective observational study conducted at a university-affiliated urban teaching hospital and level-1 trauma and burn center. All adult patients who triggered a Code Sepsis in the emergency department (ED) between January 2010 and December 2011 were included. RESULTS: One hundred eighty four patients presented with a verified sepsis syndrome and triggered a Code Sepsis in the ED during the studied time period. The mean hospital and intensive care unit length of stays (LOSs) were 15.4 (interquartile range [IQR] = 14) and 6.7 (IQR = 5) days, respectively. The total inpatient mortality was 19% (n = 35). Patients with an unspecified source of infection and those without an isolated pathogen had the highest inpatient mortality, 42.1% (n = 8) and 23.3% (n = 10), respectively. CONCLUSION: Hospital mortality and hospital LOS of sepsis are similar to those reported in other observational studies. Our study confirms a decline in the mortality of sepsis predicted by earlier longitudinal studies and should prompt a resurgence of epidemiological research of the sepsis syndromes in the United States.

Executive Summary: Implementing an Antibiotic Stewardship Program: Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

Evidence-based guidelines for implementation and measurement of antibiotic stewardship interventions in inpatient populations including long-term care were prepared by a multidisciplinary expert panel of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. The panel included clinicians and investigators representing internal medicine, emergency medicine, microbiology, critical care, surgery, epidemiology, pharmacy, and adult and pediatric infectious diseases specialties. These recommendations address the best approaches for antibiotic stewardship programs to influence the optimal use of antibiotics.

Implementing an Antibiotic Stewardship Program: Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

Evidence-based guidelines for implementation and measurement of antibiotic stewardship interventions in inpatient populations including long-term care were prepared by a multidisciplinary expert panel of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. The panel included clinicians and investigators representing internal medicine, emergency medicine, microbiology, critical care, surgery, epidemiology, pharmacy, and adult and pediatric infectious diseases specialties. These recommendations address the best approaches for antibiotic stewardship programs to influence the optimal use of antibiotics.

Impact of rapid influenza PCR testing on hospitalization and antiviral use: A retrospective cohort study.

Rapid PCR-based influenza tests are increasingly used as point-of-care diagnostics in hospitals and clinics. To our knowledge, no prior studies have described clinical outcomes with implementation of rapid PCR-based influenza tests in hospitalized adult inpatients. Electronic medical records were used to assess differences in laboratory testing time and antiviral use among a subset of 175 consecutive adult inpatients tested for influenza in two respiratory seasons before and after implementation of rapid PCR-based influenza testing at an academic medical center. Of the 350 hospitalized inpatients included in this analysis, 96 (27%) were over 65 years of age and 308 (88%) had a comorbid condition. The overall time to result decreased significantly from 25.2 to 1.7 hr (P < 0.001) after implementation of rapid PCR-based influenza testing. Among influenza-negative patients, the frequency of oseltamivir initiation remained unchanged (before: 43% vs. after: 45%; P = 0.60), though the median duration of oseltamivir was significantly decreased from 1.1 to 0.0 days (P < 0.001). By providing an earlier result to clinicians, rapid PCR-based influenza tests may decrease unnecessary antiviral use among adult inpatients who test negative for influenza.

Active surveillance cultures of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as a tool to predict methicillin-resistant S. aureus ventilator-associated pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE: Ventilator-associated pneumonia is one of the most common infections in the intensive care unit and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has emerged as a common cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia. We sought to study the performance characteristics of once weekly active surveillance culture of methicillin-resistant S. aureus colonization in predicting the development of methicillin-resistant S. aureus ventilator-associated pneumonia. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Eighty-nine-bed surgical and medical intensive care units in a university-affiliated urban teaching hospital and level I trauma and burn center. PATIENTS: All patients≥16 yrs old admitted to the intensive care unit on mechanical ventilation≥48 hrs who met diagnostic criteria for ventilator-associated pneumonia by quantitative lower respiratory tract cultures obtained through bronchoscopic alveolar lavage or brush specimen between January 2008 and October 2010 were included. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Nine hundred twenty-four episodes of suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia were evaluated, and 388 patients with bronchoalveolar lavage-confirmed ventilator-associated pneumonia were included. Surveillance cultures were taken from the nares, oropharynx or trachea, and any open wound routinely on admission to the intensive care unit, every 7 days afterward, and at intensive care unit discharge. Of the 388 patients, 37 (9.5%) had methicillin-resistant S. aureus ventilator-associated pneumonia and 54 (13.9%) had methicillin-resistant S. aureus colonization documented by active surveillance culture before the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia. The sensitivity and specificity of prior methicillin-resistant S. aureus colonization as a predictor for methicillin-resistant S. aureus ventilator-associated pneumonia are 70.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 52.8-83.6) and 92.0% (95% CI 88.5-94.5), respectively. The positive and negative predictive values are 48.1% (95% CI 34.5- 62.0) and 96.7% (95% CI 94.0-98.3). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, prior methicillin-resistant S. aureus colonization as ascertained by once-weekly active surveillance culture yielded high specificity and negative predictive value, suggesting that negative active surveillance culture can accurately exclude methicillin-resistant S. aureus as an etiology in most patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia and may decrease the need for empirical methicillin-resistant S. aureus coverage in patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Infection control for critically ill trauma patients: a systematic approach to prevention, detection, and provider feedback.

Critically ill patients are particularly at risk for developing hospital-acquired infections. An understanding of the predisposing factors, the epidemiology of disease, and guidelines to treat and to prevent hospital-acquired infections is necessary to incorporate infection control into the daily care of the critically ill trauma patient. Although it remains a challenge, infection control programs have moved from providing surveillance data and guidelines recommendations to implementation and engagement programs aimed at a shared responsibility for hospital-acquired infections prevention. We describe a multidisciplinary approach to infection control in the critically ill trauma patient with a special focus on ventilator-associated pneumonia at a level 1 trauma and burn center.

Clinical outcomes of linezolid vs vancomycin in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ventilator-associated pneumonia: retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Vancomycin has been the treatment standard for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, but clinical efficacy is limited. We report outcomes of a cohort with MRSA ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) treated with vancomycin vs linezolid. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 113 participants with MRSA VAP confirmed by bronchoscopy who have been initiated on therapy with either vancomycin or linezolid within 24 hours after bronchoscopy and completed ≥7 days of therapy during their hospitalization from July 2003 to June 2007. The primary endpoints were hospital survival and clinical cure, defined as resolution of signs and symptoms of VAP or microbiological eradication after completion of therapy along with clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS) ≤6 at day 7 of therapy. RESULTS: At hospital discharge, 23/27 (85.2%) of linezolid and 72/86 (83.7%) of vancomycin recipients had survived (P = .672). In comparison to linezolid recipients, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for survival was 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16-3.27) with vancomycin therapy. Clinical cure was achieved in 24/27 (88.9%) of linezolid and 63/86 (73.3%) of vancomycin recipients (P = .066). Compared to linezolid recipients, the adjusted OR for clinical cure was 0.24 (95% CI: 0.05-1.10) with vancomycin therapy. Survival and clinical cure did not differ significantly between vancomycin recipients with trough level ≥15 and <15 µg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested no survival benefit but a trend toward higher cure rate with linezolid therapy. The optimal treatment of MRSA VAP requires further study through randomized, controlled trials.

Prolonged persistence of PCR-detectable virus during an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in an inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit in King County, Washington.

BACKGROUND: We describe key characteristics, interventions, and outcomes of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak within an inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit at the University of Washington Medical Center - Northwest. METHODS: After identifying 2 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection on March 11, 2020, we conducted an outbreak investigation and employed targeted interventions including: screening of patients and staff; isolation and cohorting of confirmed cases; serial testing; and enhanced infection prevention measures. RESULTS: We identified 10 patients and 7 staff members with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thirty percent of patients (n = 3) remained asymptomatic over the course of infection. Among SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, fever (n = 5, 50%) and cough (n = 4, 40%) were the most common symptoms. Median duration of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positivity was 25.5 days (interquartile range [IQR] 22.8-41.8) among symptomatic patients and 22.0 days (IQR 19.5-25.5) among asymptomatic patients. Median initial (19.0, IQR 18.7-25.7 vs 21.7, IQR 20.7-25.6) and nadir (18.9, IQR 18.2-20.3 vs 19.8, IQR 17.0-20.7) cycle threshold values were similar across symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic infection was common in this cohort of hospitalized, elderly individuals despite similar duration of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positivity and cycle threshold values among symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

Antimicrobial treatment and clinical outcomes of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii ventilator-associated pneumonia.

OBJECTIVES: Carbapenem-resistant (CR) Acinetobacter baumannii is an important pathogen in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), but therapeutic options are limited. We describe the clinical outcomes of the largest case series of CR-Acinetobacter VAP reported to date. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 55 participants with CR-Acinetobacter VAP from July 2004 to December 2007 was undertaken. The primary endpoint was clinical response or microbiological eradication. Secondary endpoint was treatment-associated nephrotoxicity defined as ≥ 50% increase in serum creatinine or an increase of ≥ 0.5 mg/dL during therapy. RESULTS: Forty-two (76.4%) participants achieved clinical response at the completion of therapy. Clinical responses were achieved in 60.0% of sulbactam-based, 66.7% of polymyxin-based, 77.8% of aminoglycoside-based, 80.6% of minocycline-based, and 90.0% of tigecycline-based regimens. Follow-up sputum cultures were available in 6 of 10 tigecycline-treated participants with 4 of 6 isolates developing intermediate resistance to tigecycline while on therapy. Ten (18.2%) participants without preexisting renal disease developed treatment-associated nephrotoxicity. Baseline serum creatinine was 0.9 ± 0.1 mg/dL (range: 0.6-1.0 mg/dL) at the start of therapy and peaked at 1.9 ± 0.5 mg/dL (range: 1.6-3.0 mg/dL) during therapy. After excluding other potential concomitant renal toxic agents, nephrotoxicity developed in 6 of 30 (20.0%) and 4 of 7 (57.1%) participants treated with an aminoglycoside-or polymyxin-based regimen, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that CR-Acinetobacter VAP can be effectively treated with second-line agents. However, colistin-related nephrotoxicity was much higher than recently reported and decreased susceptibility to tigecycline emerged on therapy demonstrating the limitations of alternative regimens.

Bracing for the Storm: One Health Care System's Planning for the COVID-19 Surge.

PROBLEM: University of Washington Medicine (UW Medicine), an academic health system in Washington State, was at the epicenter of the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The extent of emergency activation needed to adequately respond to this global pandemic was not immediately known, as the evolving situation differed significantly from any past disaster response preparations in that there was potential for exponential growth of infection, unproven mitigation strategies, serious risk to health care workers, and inadequate supply chains for critical equipment. APPROACH: The rapid transition of the UW Medicine system to account for projected COVID-19 and usual patient care, while balancing patient and staff safety and conservation of resources, represents an example of an adaptive disaster response. KEY INSIGHTS: Although our organization's ability to meet the needs of the public was uncertain, we planned and implemented changes to space, supply management, and staffing plans to meet the influx of patients across our clinical entities. The surge management plan called for specific actions to be implemented based on the level of activity. This article describes the approach taken by UW Medicine as we braced for the storm.

One Academic Health System's Early (and Ongoing) Experience Responding to COVID-19: Recommendations From the Initial Epicenter of the Pandemic in the United States.

On January 19, 2020, the first case of a patient with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States was reported in Washington State. On February 29, 2020, a patient infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) passed away in a hospital in Seattle-King County, the first reported COVID-19-related death in the United States. That same day, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in the county reported that several of its residents tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and that many staff had symptoms compatible with COVID-19.The University of Washington Medicine health system (UW Medicine), which is based in Seattle-King County and provides quaternary care for the region, was one of several health care organizations called upon to address this growing crisis. What ensued was a series of swiftly enacted decisions and activities at UW Medicine, in partnership with local, state, and national public health agencies, to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tapping into the multipronged mission areas of academic medicine, UW Medicine worked to support the community, innovate in science and clinical practice; lead policy and practice guideline development; and adopt changes as the crisis unfolded. In doing so, health system leaders had to balance their commitments to students, residents and fellows, researchers, faculty, staff, and hospital and health center entities, while ensuring that patients continued to receive cutting-edge, high-quality, safe care. In this Invited Commentary, the authors highlight the work and challenges UW Medicine has faced in responding to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Outbreak Investigation of COVID-19 Among Residents and Staff of an Independent and Assisted Living Community for Older Adults in Seattle, Washington.

IMPORTANCE: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused epidemic spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Seattle, Washington, metropolitan area, with morbidity and mortality concentrated among residents of skilled nursing facilities. The prevalence of COVID-19 among older adults in independent/assisted living is not understood. OBJECTIVES: To conduct surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and describe symptoms of COVID-19 among residents and staff of an independent/assisted living community. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In March 2020, public health surveillance of staff and residents was conducted on site at an assisted and independent living residence for older adults in Seattle, Washington, after exposure to 2 residents who were hospitalized with COVID-19. EXPOSURES: Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a congregate setting implementing social isolation and infection prevention protocols. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: SARS-CoV-2 real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed on nasopharyngeal swabs from residents and staff; a symptom questionnaire was completed assessing fever, cough, and other symptoms for the preceding 14 days. Residents were retested for SARS-CoV-2 7 days after initial screening. RESULTS: Testing was performed on 80 residents; 62 were women (77%), with mean age of 86 (range, 69-102) years. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 3 of 80 residents (3.8%); none felt ill, 1 male resident reported resolved cough and 1 loose stool during the preceding 14 days. Virus was also detected in 2 of 62 staff (3.2%); both were symptomatic. One week later, resident SARS-CoV-2 testing was repeated and 1 new infection detected (asymptomatic). All residents remained in isolation and were clinically stable 14 days after the second test. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic residents highlights challenges in protecting older adults living in congregate settings. In this study, symptom screening failed to identify residents with infections and all 4 residents with SARS-CoV-2 remained asymptomatic after 14 days. Although 1 asymptomatic infection was found on retesting, a widespread facility outbreak was avoided. Compared with skilled nursing settings, in assisted/independent living communities, early surveillance to identify asymptomatic persons among residents and staff, in combination with adherence to recommended preventive strategies, may reduce viral spread.

Optimal timing of routine vaccination in HIV-infected persons.

Vaccine recommendations for those with HIV require continual updating as additional research becomes available. Timing of vaccinations among HIV-infected individuals is a key area of uncertainty. This is particularly true for those who may soon initiate highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) because immune reconstitution due to HAART often improves responses to vaccines. However, risks of delaying vaccination include that the patient may be exposed to the pathogen or lost to follow-up before vaccination. We review recent studies on the timing of routine vaccination of HIV-infected individuals.

Enhanced Perioperative Care for Major Spine Surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: The enhanced perioperative care (EPOC) program is an institutional quality improvement initiative. We used a historically controlled study design to evaluate patients who underwent major spine surgery before and after the implementation of the EPOC program. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether multidisciplinary EPOC program was associated with an improvement in clinical and financial outcomes for elective adult major spine surgery patients. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs successfully implemented in hip and knee replacement surgeries, and improved clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. METHODS: We compared 183 subjects in traditional care (TRDC) group to 267 intervention period (EPOC) in a single academic quaternary spine surgery referral center. One hundred eight subjects in no pathway (NOPW) care group was also examined to exclude if the observed changes between the EPOC and TRDC groups might be due to concurrent changes in practice or population over the same time period. Our primary outcome variables were hospital and intensive care unit lengths of stay and the secondary outcomes were postoperative complications, 30-day hospital readmission and cost. RESULTS: In this highly complex patient population, we observed a reduction in mean hospital length of stay (HLOS) between TRDC versus EPOC groups (8.2 vs. 6.1 d, standard deviation [SD] = 6.3 vs. 3.6, P < 0.001) and intensive care unit length of stay (ILOS) (3.1 vs. 1.9 d, SD = 4.7 vs. 1.4, P = 0.01). The number (rate) of postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) admissions was higher for the TRDC n = 109 (60%) than the EPOC n = 129 (48%) (P = 0.02). There was no difference in postoperative complications and 30-day hospital readmissions. The EPOC spine program was associated with significant average cost reduction-$62,429 to $53,355 (P < 0.00). CONCLUSION: The EPOC program has made a clinically relevant contribution to institutional efforts to improve patient outcomes and value. We observed a reduction in HLOS, ILOS, costs, and variability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Development of a guideline for the management of ventilator-associated pneumonia based on local microbiologic findings and impact of the guideline on antimicrobial use practices.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of a guideline for the management of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) based on local microbiologic findings and to evaluate the impact of the guideline on antimicrobial use practices. DESIGN: Retrospective comparison of antimicrobial use practices before and after implementation of the guideline. SETTING: Intensive care units at Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, a university-affiliated urban teaching hospital. PATIENTS: A total of 819 patients who received mechanical ventilation and who underwent quantitative bronchoscopy between July 1, 2003, and June 30, 2005, for suspected VAP. INTERVENTIONS: Implementation of an evidence-based VAP guideline that focused on the use of quantitative bronchoscopy for diagnosis, administration of empirical antimicrobial therapy based on local microbiologic findings and resistance patterns, tailoring definitive antimicrobial therapy on the basis of culture results, and appropriate duration of therapy. RESULTS: During the baseline period, 168 (46.7%) of 360 patients had quantitative cultures that met the diagnostic criteria for VAP, compared with 216 (47.1%) of 459 patients in the period after the guideline was implemented. The pathogens responsible for VAP remained similar between the 2 periods, except that the prevalence of VAP due to carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter species increased from 1.8% to 15.3% (P<.001), particularly in late-onset VAP. Compared with the baseline period, there was an improvement in antimicrobial use practices after implementation of the guideline: antimicrobial therapy was more frequently tailored on the basis of quantitative culture results (103 [61.3%] of 168 vs 150 [69.4%] of 216 patients; P = .034), there was an increase in the use of appropriate definitive therapy (135 [80.4%] of 168 vs 193 [89.4%] of 216 patients; P = .001), and there was a decrease in the mean duration of therapy (12.0 vs 10.7 days; P = .0014). The all-cause mortality rate was similar in the periods before and after the guideline was implemented (38 [22.6%] of 168 vs 46 [21.3%] of 216 patients; P = .756). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a guideline for the management of VAP that incorporated the use of quantitative bronchoscopy, the use of empirical therapy based on local microbiologic findings, tailoring of therapy on the basis of culture results, and use of shortened durations of therapy led to significant improvements in antimicrobial use practices without adversely affecting the all-cause mortality rate.

University HealthSystem Consortium quality performance benchmarking study of the insertion and care of central venous catheters.

We report data from an observational benchmarking study of adherence to recommended practices for insertion and maintenance of central venous catheters at a heterogeneous group of academic medical centers. These centers demonstrated a need for significant improvement in implementation and documentation of quality performance measures for the prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infections.