title: Exploring infection prevention: policy implications from a qualitative study.
abstract: Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are common and costly patient safety problems that are largely preventable. As a result, numerous policy changes have recently taken place including mandatory reporting and lack of reimbursement for HAIs. A qualitative approach was used to obtain dense description and gain insights about the current practice of infection prevention in California. Twenty-three in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted at six acute care hospitals. Content analysis revealed 4 major interconnected themes: (a) impacts of mandatory reporting; (b) impacts of technology on HAI surveillance; (c) infection preventionists' role expansion; and (d) impacts of organizational climate. Personnel reported that interdisciplinary collaboration was a major facilitator for implementing effective infection prevention, and organizational climate promoting a shared accountability is urgently needed. Mandatory reporting requirements are having both intended and unintended consequences on HAI prevention. More research is needed to measure the long-term effects of these important changes in policy.
authors: Columbia University, New York 10032, USA. mu2188@columbia.edu
authors: Mayuko
authors: M
authors: Uchida
authors: Patricia W
authors: PW
authors: Stone
authors: Laurie J
authors: LJ
authors: Conway
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Pogorzelska
authors: Elaine L
authors: EL
authors: Larson
authors: Victoria H
authors: VH
authors: Raveis
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006751:Hospital Information Systems; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000458:organization & administration; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D015279:Organizational Culture; D016134:Organizational Policy; D036301:Qualitative Research