[Nationwide survey on pediatric infectious disease organisation and antibiotic management in French hospitals]

Abstract

Skills in pediatric infectious disease (PID) and antibiotic management are of critical importance in hospitals. This nationwide survey aimed to assess the characteristics, training, and tasks of PID consultants in French hospitals. The management of PID and antibiotic therapy was also analyzed in hospitals lacking PID consultants.

Methods: An electronic survey linked to a dedicated website was sent to French hospitals with a pediatric department in June 2012. In hospitals where PID consultants were available, they were asked to answer the questionnaire. In hospitals lacking PID consultants, pediatricians were asked to send the questionnaire to their infectious disease consultant, if available.

Results: A total of 86 individual responses were received from 76 hospitals (including 26 academic hospitals). The existence of a PID consultant was declared in 53 hospitals. Responses were received from the person claiming to be "the" or "one of the" PID consultants in 46 cases, representing 39 centers. PID consultants had a degree in PID (46%) or antibiotic therapy (37%), or a complementary qualification as a specialist in infectious diseases (13%). The PID consultants worked in departments of general pediatrics (61%) and emergency medicine (15%), or neonatology (15%). They were involved in the Nosocomial Infection Prevention Committee (43%) or the Antimicrobial Therapy Committee (63%) and had teaching activities (65%). There was a specific unit with a PID label in 10% of the 39 centers reporting at least one consultant and consultations of infectious diseases took place in 28%.

Conclusion: PID consultants are rare. Their important role in patient care should be recognized. Efforts should focus on recruiting and training such specialists.