The impact of observation units on the rate of hospital-acquired infection.
Using Clostridium difficile as an example, we calculated the impact that reduced inpatient-day denominators resulting from implementation of hospital observation units would have on hospital-acquired infection rates. Using proposed scenarios of reduced inpatient-days, we estimated an increase in the hospital-acquired C. difficile infection rate of up to 12%.
Department of Medicine, Infection Control, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
Anna Dow
AD
Sheahan
Kent A
KA
Sepkowitz
D016360:Clostridioides difficile; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019370:Observation; D013223:Statistics as Topic