Comparing practices to prevent infectious diseases transmission among Veterans Affairs and Nonveterans Affairs hospitals: Results from a national survey in the United States

Elizabeth Scruggs-Wodkowski; M Todd Greene; Sanjay Saint; Karen E Fowler; Kathleen A Linder; Sarah L Krein

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2023.10.013

Comparing practices to prevent infectious diseases transmission among Veterans Affairs and Nonveterans Affairs hospitals: Results from a national survey in the United States

Am J Infect Control. 2024 Apr;52(4):495-497. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2023.10.013. Epub 2023 Nov 7.

Authors

Elizabeth Scruggs-Wodkowski¹, M Todd Greene², Sanjay Saint², Karen E Fowler³, Kathleen A Linder⁴, Sarah L Krein²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI; Center for Clinical Management Research, VA/UM Patient Safety Enhancement Program, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Section, LTC Charles S Kettles VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI. Electronic address: escruggs@med.umich.edu.
² Center for Clinical Management Research, Veterans Affairs (VA) Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI; Center for Clinical Management Research, VA/UM Patient Safety Enhancement Program, Ann Arbor, MI.
³ Center for Clinical Management Research, Veterans Affairs (VA) Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI; Center for Clinical Management Research, VA/UM Patient Safety Enhancement Program, Ann Arbor, MI.
⁴ Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI; Center for Clinical Management Research, VA/UM Patient Safety Enhancement Program, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Section, LTC Charles S Kettles VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI.

PMID: 37944756
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2023.10.013

Abstract

Our national cross-sectional survey of United States hospitals found greater implementation of contact precautions for multidrug-resistant organisms and a higher percentage reporting the use of supplemental no-touch disinfection devices among Veterans Affairs (VA) versus non-VA hospitals. Nationally coordinated infection prevention initiatives within the VA could account for these practice differences.

Keywords: Contact precautions; Disease prevention; Hand hygiene; Hospital-acquired infection; Infection control; Multidrug-resistant organisms.

Published by Elsevier Inc.

MeSH terms

Communicable Diseases*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Hospitals
Hospitals, Veterans
Humans
Infection Control / methods
United States
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans*

Grants and funding

IK6 HX003399/HX/HSRD VA/United States