Automated alert system may reduce resistant bacteria spread among hospitals

PHILADELPHIA — An automated alert system between hospitals could reduce the spread of life-threatening bacteria and streamline placement into contact isolation, according to data presented at IDWeek 2014.

Marc Rosenman, MD, of the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, and colleagues built a regional network to deliver inter-hospital alerts whenever a patient with a history of gram-negative, multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) is admitted. The system was able to correct Health Level 7 version 2 formatting, aid infection preventionists in superbug identification, process patient hospitalization status across separate institutions and send email alerts upon admittance of a patient with a documented history.

Over 12 weeks, the alert network sent notifications to five different hospital systems that comprised 21 hospitals. Email alerts were generated for 105 patients, 36 upon hospital admission and 69 with ED visits only. For 25% of patients, the admitting hospital system was different from the one where the gram-negative MDRO culture was drawn and recorded.

The organisms that led to alerts included extended-spectrum beta-lactamase–producing Escherichia coli (84%), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (7%), Pseudomonas (5%), Acinetobacter (4%) and other organisms (1%). Cultures were drawn from urine (76%), blood (8%) and other sources (16%) such as wounds, bronchoalveolar lavage, sputum and bile.

“The amount of cross-over between hospitals — by patients colonized or infected with gram-negative superbugs — is striking,” the researchers wrote in the abstract. “Timely alerts may hasten placement into contact isolation and thereby may help reduce the spread of life-threatening bacteria.” — by Dave Muoio

For more information:

Rosenman M. Abstract 330. Presented at: IDWeek 2014 ; Oct. 8-12, 2014; Philadelphia.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.