Two Major Studies Show Benefits of CAUTI Reduction Measures

Conscientious handling of urinary catheters is one of the main responsibilities hospitalists have in caring for patients with urological disorders—and, of course, anyone else with a urinary catheter.

Treatment of patients with urological disorders often involves special circumstances requiring physician discretion when deciding whether to remove a catheter or leave it in—removing it too soon could cause problems far worse than an infection. But two compelling studies, nationwide in scope, point to the benefits of systems that help ensure prompt removal of urinary catheters when appropriate.

One, published in 2010, was a review of interventional studies that used reminders to physicians or nurses that a urinary catheter was in use or stop orders to trigger catheter removal in hospitalized adults.

Researchers found that the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, measured as episodes per 1,000 catheter-days, was reduced by 52% (P<0.001) with use of a reminder or stop order. The average duration of catheterization decreased by 37%. That amounted to 2.61 fewer days of catheterization per patient in the intervention compared to control groups.

In a 2013 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers surveyed infection prevention specialists at a sample of hospitals across the U.S.—and at all hospitals in Michigan, home to a statewide CAUTI-prevention initiative started in 2007. They asked about CAUTI prevention practices and standardized infection ratios on CAUTI.

Michigan hospitals, compared with those elsewhere in the U.S., more frequently participated in collaboratives to reduce healthcare-associated infection—94% to 67%. They also used bladder scanners to measure bladder volume more frequently (53% to 39%), along with catheter reminders or stop orders and/or nurse-initiated discontinuation (44% to 23%).

CAUTI rates in the state of Michigan saw a 25% reduction, significantly greater than the 6% decrease observed in the rest of the U.S.

Sanjay Saint, MD, MPH, a hospitalist and professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, says the study verifies how important it is for hospitalists to remove urinary catheters early.

"The data will set us free," he says. "It’s probably better to remove a few of these catheters prematurely and then have to reinsert them than keep all catheters in long past their due date." TH

Tom Collins is a freelance author in South Florida.

Conscientious handling of urinary catheters is one of the main responsibilities hospitalists have in caring for patients with urological disorders—and, of course, anyone else with a urinary catheter.

Treatment of patients with urological disorders often involves special circumstances requiring physician discretion when deciding whether to remove a catheter or leave it in—removing it too soon could cause problems far worse than an infection. But two compelling studies, nationwide in scope, point to the benefits of systems that help ensure prompt removal of urinary catheters when appropriate.

One, published in 2010, was a review of interventional studies that used reminders to physicians or nurses that a urinary catheter was in use or stop orders to trigger catheter removal in hospitalized adults.

Researchers found that the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, measured as episodes per 1,000 catheter-days, was reduced by 52% (P<0.001) with use of a reminder or stop order. The average duration of catheterization decreased by 37%. That amounted to 2.61 fewer days of catheterization per patient in the intervention compared to control groups.

In a 2013 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers surveyed infection prevention specialists at a sample of hospitals across the U.S.—and at all hospitals in Michigan, home to a statewide CAUTI-prevention initiative started in 2007. They asked about CAUTI prevention practices and standardized infection ratios on CAUTI.

Michigan hospitals, compared with those elsewhere in the U.S., more frequently participated in collaboratives to reduce healthcare-associated infection—94% to 67%. They also used bladder scanners to measure bladder volume more frequently (53% to 39%), along with catheter reminders or stop orders and/or nurse-initiated discontinuation (44% to 23%).

CAUTI rates in the state of Michigan saw a 25% reduction, significantly greater than the 6% decrease observed in the rest of the U.S.

Sanjay Saint, MD, MPH, a hospitalist and professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, says the study verifies how important it is for hospitalists to remove urinary catheters early.

"The data will set us free," he says. "It’s probably better to remove a few of these catheters prematurely and then have to reinsert them than keep all catheters in long past their due date." TH

Tom Collins is a freelance author in South Florida.

Conscientious handling of urinary catheters is one of the main responsibilities hospitalists have in caring for patients with urological disorders—and, of course, anyone else with a urinary catheter.

Treatment of patients with urological disorders often involves special circumstances requiring physician discretion when deciding whether to remove a catheter or leave it in—removing it too soon could cause problems far worse than an infection. But two compelling studies, nationwide in scope, point to the benefits of systems that help ensure prompt removal of urinary catheters when appropriate.

One, published in 2010, was a review of interventional studies that used reminders to physicians or nurses that a urinary catheter was in use or stop orders to trigger catheter removal in hospitalized adults.

Researchers found that the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, measured as episodes per 1,000 catheter-days, was reduced by 52% (P<0.001) with use of a reminder or stop order. The average duration of catheterization decreased by 37%. That amounted to 2.61 fewer days of catheterization per patient in the intervention compared to control groups.

In a 2013 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers surveyed infection prevention specialists at a sample of hospitals across the U.S.—and at all hospitals in Michigan, home to a statewide CAUTI-prevention initiative started in 2007. They asked about CAUTI prevention practices and standardized infection ratios on CAUTI.

Michigan hospitals, compared with those elsewhere in the U.S., more frequently participated in collaboratives to reduce healthcare-associated infection—94% to 67%. They also used bladder scanners to measure bladder volume more frequently (53% to 39%), along with catheter reminders or stop orders and/or nurse-initiated discontinuation (44% to 23%).

CAUTI rates in the state of Michigan saw a 25% reduction, significantly greater than the 6% decrease observed in the rest of the U.S.

Sanjay Saint, MD, MPH, a hospitalist and professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, says the study verifies how important it is for hospitalists to remove urinary catheters early.

"The data will set us free," he says. "It’s probably better to remove a few of these catheters prematurely and then have to reinsert them than keep all catheters in long past their due date." TH

Tom Collins is a freelance author in South Florida.