Differences in infection prevention and control staffing between free-standing and system-affiliated hospitals: A...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Infection Control
• Hospital Operations

Background:

• Traditional benchmarks for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) staffing may be outdated.
• Hospital organizational structures, particularly system affiliation, influence IPC workload and resource allocation.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for developing modern IPC staffing guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) staffing patterns between freestanding and system-affiliated U.S. hospitals.
• To assess how hospital affiliation impacts IPC resource availability and team structure.
• To inform updated IPC staffing models.

Main Methods:

• A national survey of U.S. acute care hospitals participating in the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) was conducted.
• Hospitals were categorized as freestanding or system-affiliated based on organizational structure.
• Statistical tests (Wilcoxon rank-sum, chi-square) were used to compare staffing, resources, and organizational differences.

Main Results:

• System-affiliated hospitals (74%) employed larger IPC teams but had lower staffing intensity (1.2 FTE/100 beds) compared to freestanding hospitals (2.0 FTE/100 beds).
• System-affiliated hospitals reported greater access to electronic surveillance, analytic, and administrative support.
• Freestanding hospitals dedicated more time to office-based work, and an inverse relationship between hospital size and IP FTEs per 100 beds was observed.

Conclusions:

• Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) staffing varies significantly based on hospital system affiliation.
• Freestanding hospitals exhibit higher per-bed staffing ratios, whereas system-affiliated hospitals leverage larger teams and centralized resources.
• Current findings necessitate revised staffing models that incorporate organizational context and the evolving scope of IPC practice.