Assessment of a multi-modal intervention for the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality improvement
• Infectious disease prevention
• Patient safety

Background:

• Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) pose a significant healthcare burden.
• Urinary catheters (UCs) are a common source of CAUTIs.
• Effective strategies are needed to reduce UC use and CAUTI incidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an evidence-based, multi-modal intervention designed to decrease UC utilization.
• To assess the intervention's impact on minimizing CAUTI incidence within a university hospital's internal medicine department.
• To improve patient outcomes through reduced catheterization and infection rates.

Main Methods:

• A multi-modal intervention was implemented, incorporating staff training, UC reminders, and surveillance systems.
• Data on UC use frequency and CAUTI incidence were collected for three-month periods before and during the intervention.
• Statistical analysis, including relative risk and incidence ratios, was used to compare outcomes.

Main Results:

• The rate of urinary catheter use decreased significantly from 27.8% to 16.9%.
• CAUTI risk was reduced by over 40% (18.3% vs. 9.8%), with a significant decrease in CAUTI rate per 1000 patient-days (5.5 vs. 2.8).
• A non-significant trend towards reduced CAUTI rate per 1000 catheter-days was observed.

Conclusions:

• The multi-modal, multi-disciplinary intervention effectively reduced urinary catheterization rates.
• The intervention was successful in decreasing the overall frequency and incidence of CAUTIs.
• This approach demonstrates a viable strategy for enhancing patient safety and reducing healthcare-associated infections.