A systematic review and meta-synthesis of policy intervention characteristics that influence the implementation of government-directed policy in the hospital setting: implications for infection prevention and control.

BACKGROUND: Government-directed policy plays an important role in the regulation and supervision of healthcare quality. Effective implementation of these policies has the potential to significantly improve clinical practice and patient outcomes, including the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. A systematic review of research describing the implementation of government-directed policy in the hospital setting was performed with the aim to identify policy intervention characteristics that influence implementation. METHODS: A systematic search of four electronic databases was undertaken to identify eligible articles published between 2007 and 2017. Studies were included if published in the English language and described the implementation of government-directed policy in a high-income country hospital setting. Data on policy and implementation were extracted for each article and interpretive syntheses performed. RESULTS: A total of 925 articles were retrieved and titles and abstracts reviewed, with 69 articles included after review of abstract and full text. Qualitative synthesis of implementation data showed three overarching themes related to intervention characteristics associated with implementation: clarity; infrastructure; and alignment. CONCLUSION: Better understanding and consideration of policy intervention characteristics during development and planning will facilitate more effective implementation although research describing implementation of government-directed policy in the hospital setting is limited and of variable quality. The findings of this study provide guidance to staff tasked with the development or implementation of government-directed policy in the hospital setting, infection prevention and control professionals seeking to maximise the impact of policy on practice and improve patient outcomes.

Clinician perspectives of policy implementation: A qualitative study of the implementation of a national infection prevention policy in Australian hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Clinicians play an essential role in the implementation of infection prevention policy. Despite this, little is known about how infection control policy is implemented at an organizational level or what factors influence this process. In this study, we explore these factors and the policy implementation process in the context of the introduction of a national large-scale, government-directed infection prevention policy in Australia. METHODS: Focus groups with infection control professionals were held in 3 states to investigate the perspectives of infection control professionals involved in the implementation of aseptic technique policy requirements in Australian hospitals. Data were analyzed using an interpretive description approach, with themes mapped to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. RESULTS: Common contextual factors were identified across all levels of the healthcare system that influenced implementation of the infection control policy, including external factors associated with the policy itself and the regulatory nature of government-directed policy. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that there may be particular constructs and contextual factors that are specific to policy implementation in the hospital setting. A better understanding of these factors and their influence on policy implementation would present an opportunity for improved implementation planning, resource allocation, and more effective policy development.

Effects of the Australian National Hand Hygiene Initiative after 8 years on infection control practices, health-care worker education, and clinical outcomes: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: The National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI) is a standardised culture-change programme based on the WHO My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene approach to improve hand hygiene compliance among Australian health-care workers and reduce the risk of health-care-associated infections. We analysed its effectiveness. METHODS: In this longitudinal study, we assessed outcomes of the NHHI for the 8 years after implementation (between Jan 1, 2009, and June 30, 2017), including hospital participation, hand hygiene compliance (measured as the proportion of observed Moments) three times per year, educational engagement, cost, and association with the incidence of health-care-associated Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (HA-SAB). FINDINGS: Between 2009 and 2017, increases were observed in national health-care facility participation (105 hospitals [103 public and two private] in 2009 vs 937 hospitals [598 public and 339 private] in 2017) and overall hand hygiene compliance (36 213 [63·6%] of 56 978 Moments [95% CI 63·2-63·9] in 2009 vs 494 673 [84·3%] of 586 559 Moments [84·2-84·4] in 2017; p<0·0001). Compliance also increased for each Moment type and for each health-care worker occupational group, including for medical staff (4377 [50·5%] of 8669 Moments [95% CI 49·4-51·5] in 2009 vs 53 620 [71·7%] of 74 788 Moments [71·4-72·0]; p<0·0001). 1 989 713 NHHI online learning credential programmes were completed. The 2016 NHHI budget was equivalent to AUD$0·06 per inpatient admission nationally. Among Australia's major public hospitals (n=132), improved hand hygiene compliance was associated with declines in the incidence of HA-SAB (incidence rate ratio 0·85; 95% CI 0·79-0·93; p≤0·0001): for every 10% increase in hand hygiene compliance, the incidence of HA-SAB decreased by 15%. INTERPRETATION: The NHHI has been associated with significant sustained improvement in hand hygiene compliance and a decline in the incidence of HA-SAB. Key features include sustained central coordination of a standardised approach and incorporation into hospital accreditation standards. The NHHI could be emulated in other national culture-change programmes. FUNDING: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.

Characteristics of national and statewide health care-associated infection surveillance programs: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: There are many well-established national health care-associated infection surveillance programs (HAISPs). Although validation studies have described data quality, there is little research describing important characteristics of large HAISPs. The aim of this study was to broaden our understanding and identify key characteristics of large HAISPs. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively selected leaders from national and state-based HAISPs. Interview data were analyzed following an interpretive description process. RESULTS: Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted over a 6-month period during 2014-2015. Analysis of the data generated 5 distinct characteristics of large HAISPs: (1) triggers: surveillance was initiated by government or a cooperative of like-minded people, (2) purpose: a clear purpose is needed and determines other surveillance mechanisms, (3) data measures: consistency is more important than accuracy, (4) processes: a balance exists between the volume of data collected and resources, and (5) implementation and maintenance: a central coordinating body is crucial for uniformity and support. CONCLUSIONS: National HAISPs are complex and affect a broad range of stakeholders. Although the overall goal of health care-associated infection surveillance is to reduce the incidence of health care-associated infection, there are many crucial factors to be considered in attaining this goal. The findings from this study will assist the development of new HAISPs and could be used as an adjunct to evaluate existing programs.

Predictors of use of infection control precautions for multiresistant gram-negative bacilli in Australian hospitals: analysis of a national survey.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the global expansion of extended spectrum ß-lactamase-harboring Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), only limited research on the infection control management of patients with these organisms is available. METHODS: We present a national survey of infection control practices amongst adult acute-care hospitals in Australia, for ESBL-E, CRE, and the emerging threat of patients with overseas health care contact. RESULTS: In total, 97 health services responded, representing 9% of all eligible hospitals. The proportion of hospitals that reported use of contact precautions (CP) was 96% (93 out of 97) for ESBL-E, 81% (79 out of 97) for CRE, and 72% (48 out of 67) for patients transferred from an international hospital. For ESBL-E hospitals frequently employed risk-stratification to limit the use of CP (40 out of 97; 41%). On multivariate analysis predictors of a strategy to limit use of CP for ESBL-E were government funding (odds ratio, 4.8; P = .003) and a metropolitan location (odds ratio, 3.2; P = .014); predictors of any use of CP for CRE were location in an Australian state with a specific legislation on CRE (P = .030) and the presence of a written policy on CRE (P = .011). CONCLUSIONS: Infection control management of multiresistant gram-negative bacilli varied considerably across the Australian hospitals surveyed. A lower rate of reported CP use for CRE than for ESBL-E was unexpected and indicates a vulnerability in some Australian hospitals. Multivariate analysis revealed various drivers influencing infection control practice in Australia.

Community-onset Escherichia coli infection resistant to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins in low-prevalence countries.

By global standards, the prevalence of community-onset expanded-spectrum-cephalosporin-resistant (ESC-R) Escherichia coli remains low in Australia and New Zealand. Of concern, our countries are in a unique position, with high extramural resistance pressure from close population and trade links to Asia-Pacific neighbors with high ESC-R E. coli rates. We aimed to characterize the risks and dynamics of community-onset ESC-R E. coli infection in our low-prevalence region. A case-control methodology was used. Patients with ESC-R E. coli or ESC-susceptible E. coli isolated from blood or urine were recruited at six geographically dispersed tertiary care hospitals in Australia and New Zealand. Epidemiological data were prospectively collected, and bacteria were retained for analysis. In total, 182 patients (91 cases and 91 controls) were recruited. Multivariate logistic regression identified risk factors for ESC-R among E. coli strains, including birth on the Indian subcontinent (odds ratio [OR]=11.13, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]=2.17 to 56.98, P=0.003), urinary tract infection in the past year (per-infection OR=1.430, 95% CI=1.13 to 1.82, P=0.003), travel to southeast Asia, China, the Indian subcontinent, Africa, and the Middle East (OR=3.089, 95% CI=1.29 to 7.38, P=0.011), prior exposure to trimethoprim with or without sulfamethoxazole and with or without an expanded-spectrum cephalosporin (OR=3.665, 95% CI=1.30 to 10.35, P=0.014), and health care exposure in the previous 6 months (OR=3.16, 95% CI=1.54 to 6.46, P=0.02). Among our ESC-R E. coli strains, the blaCTX-M ESBLs were dominant (83% of ESC-R E. coli strains), and the worldwide pandemic ST-131 clone was frequent (45% of ESC-R E. coli strains). In our low-prevalence setting, ESC-R among community-onset E. coli strains may be associated with both "export" from health care facilities into the community and direct "import" into the community from high-prevalence regions.