Universal COVID-19 testing and a three-space triage protocol is associated with a nine-fold decrease in possible nosocomial infections in an inpatient psychiatric facility.
Psychiatry Res
; 302: 114036, 2021 08.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1253496
ABSTRACT
In May of 2020, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMSA) issued guidelines for state psychiatric hospitals, recommending that these facilities adopt universal testing for COVID-19 and "three-space" triage protocols for dedicated COVID-19 positive, negative, and quarantine spaces to mitigate the risk of nosocomial infection. The Westchester Behavioral Health Center of New York Presbyterian Hospital (WBHC-NYP) adopted a comprehensive infection control protocol consistent with these recommendations in April, 2020. We reviewed the records of 1,139 patients treated on the inpatient service at WBHC-NYP between March 14th and June 10th, 2020, dates corresponding to the first COVID-19 surge in the New York City metropolitan region. The incidence of detected nosocomial or possible nosocomial infections before and during the implementation of the protocol was 0.096 (16/167), or 0.96 infections per 10 at-risk patients. The incidence of nosocomial or possible nosocomial infections after complete implementation was 0.0110 (2/182), or 1.1 infections per 100 at-risk patients. The difference in incidence between the two time points was statistically significant (p<.0003) and represents a 9-fold decrease. Our findings support the institutional use of a combined testing and space allocation protocol to mitigate risk of outbreaks in confined settings.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Cross Infection
/
Triage
/
COVID-19 Testing
/
COVID-19
/
Hospitals, Psychiatric
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
/
Young adult
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Psychiatry Res
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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