Diagnostic stewardship to improve patient outcomes and healthcare-associated infection (HAI) metrics

Authors

Harjot K. Singh, Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, New York.
Kimberly C. Claeys, Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland.
Sonali D. Advani, Department of Medicine-Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
Yolanda J. Ballam, Infection Prevention and Control, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Missouri.
Jessica Penney, Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
Kirsten M. Schutte, Medical Director, Infectious Disease, eviCore Healthcare, Bluffton, South Carolina.
Christopher Baliga, Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Virginia Mason Hospital and Seattle Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.
Aaron M. Milstone, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
Mary K. Hayden, Division of Infectious Diseases, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
Daniel J. Morgan, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
Daniel J. Diekema, Maine Medical CenterFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-11-2024

Journal Title

Infection control and hospital epidemiology

Abstract

Diagnostic stewardship seeks to improve ordering, collection, performance, and reporting of tests. Test results play an important role in reportable HAIs. The inclusion of HAIs in public reporting and pay for performance programs has highlighted the value of diagnostic stewardship as part of infection prevention initiatives. Inappropriate testing should be discouraged, and approaches that seek to alter testing solely to impact a reportable metric should be avoided. HAI definitions should be further adapted to new testing technologies, with focus on actionable and clinically relevant test results that will improve patient care.

First Page

1

Last Page

7

Recommended Citation

Singh HK, Claeys KC, Advani SD, et al. Diagnostic stewardship to improve patient outcomes and healthcare-associated infection (HAI) metrics. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. Published online January 11, 2024. doi:10.1017/ice.2023.284