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. 2020 Jan 7;9(1):e14701.
doi: 10.2196/14701.

Understanding and Addressing Variation in Health Care-Associated Infections After Durable Ventricular Assist Device Therapy: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

P Paul Chandanabhumma  1 , Michael D Fetters  1 , Francis D Pagani  2 , Preeti N Malani  3 , John M Hollingsworth  4 , Russell J Funk  5 , Keith D Aaronson  6 , Min Zhang #  7 , Robert L Kormos  8 , Carol E Chenoweth  3 , Supriya Shore  6 , Tessa M F Watt  2 , Lourdes Cabrera  2 , Donald S Likosky  2
Affiliations

Understanding and Addressing Variation in Health Care-Associated Infections After Durable Ventricular Assist Device Therapy: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

P Paul Chandanabhumma et al. JMIR Res Protoc. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: Durable ventricular assist device (VAD) therapy is reserved for patients with advanced heart failure who have a poor estimated 1-year survival. However, despite highly protocolized management processes, patients are at a unique risk for developing a health care-associated infection (HAI). Few studies have examined optimal strategies for HAI prevention after durable VAD implantation, despite variability in rates across centers and their impact on short- and long-term outcomes.

Objective: The objective of this study is to develop recommendations for preventing the most significant HAIs after durable VAD implantation. The study has 3 specific aims: (1) identify determinants of center-level variability in HAI rates, (2) develop comprehensive understanding of barriers and facilitators for achieving low center-level HAI rates, and (3) develop and disseminate a best practices toolkit for preventing HAIs that accommodates various center contexts.

Methods: This is a sequential mixed methods study starting with a cross-sectional assessment of current practices. To address aim 1, we will conduct (1) a systematic review of HAI prevention studies and (2) in-depth quantitative analyses using administrative claims, in-depth clinical data, and organizational surveys of VAD centers. For aim 2, we will apply a mixed methods patient tracer assessment framework to conduct semistructured interviews, field observations, and document analysis informed by findings from aim 1 at 5 high-performing (ie, low HAIs) and 5 low-performing (ie, high HAI) centers, which will be examined using a mixed methods case series analysis. For aim 3, we will build upon the findings from the previous aims to develop and field test an HAI preventive toolkit, acquire stakeholder input at an annual cardiac surgical conference, disseminate the final version to VAD centers nationwide, and conduct follow-up surveys to assess the toolkit's adoption.

Results: The project was funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in 2018 and enrollment for the overall project is ongoing. Data analysis is currently under way and the first results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2019.

Conclusions: This mixed methods study seeks to quantitatively assess the determinants of HAIs across clinical centers and qualitatively identify the context-specific facilitators and barriers for attaining low HAI rates. The mixed data findings will be used to develop and disseminate a stakeholder-acceptable toolkit of evidence-based HAI prevention recommendations that will accommodate the specific contexts and needs of VAD centers.

International registered report identifier (irrid): PRR1-10.2196/14701.

Keywords: cardiac surgical procedures; heart failure; infection; mixed methods; ventricular assist device.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Conceptual model for health care–associated infection development and impact. VAD: ventricular assist device.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Overall study design. HAI: health care–associated infection; INTERMACS: Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Development of the health care–associated infection preventive toolkit. HAI: health care–associated infection; INTERMACS: Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support; VAD: ventricular assist device.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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