Healthcare Associated Infections (priority setting in association with the JLA)

About this PSP

Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs) are normally defined as infections that affect patients in a hospital or other healthcare facility, which are not present or incubating at the time of admission. They also include infections acquired by patients in the hospital or facility that appear after discharge, and occupational infections among healthcare professionals.

Established in early 2015, the PSP set out to identify the gaps in research evidence around prevention, identification and treatment options for HCAI.

The Healthcare Associated Infections PSP Top 10 was published in August 2019.


Articles and publications

Key documents

Healthcare Associated Infections PSP Protocol

Healthcare Associated Infections PSP Engagement Summary

Healthcare-Associated-Infections-PSP-Question-Verification-Form.pdf

Top 10 priorities

  1. How can infections be identified early?
  2. How can we change the behaviour of healthcare professionals to follow best practices in preventing and controlling HCAI?
  3. Can point-of-care testing (bedside testing) in the primary care or secondary care setting improve patient outcomes and decrease antibiotic resistance?
  4. What is the most effective cleaning agent to prevent multi-drug resistant organisms?
  5. Can antibiotic stewardship policies (including decreased antibiotic prescription) decrease antibiotic resistance, and do they cause any harm to the patients?
  6. How can we educate patients to look for clinical signs of HCAI?
  7. What is the role of change of bacteria in patients or the environment in the development of infection in hospital?
  8. In people with antibiotic resistant bacteria, what is the impact of single room isolation compared with open-ward care in the overall care and mental health of the person with antibiotic resistance and in preventing transmission of infections to others?
  9. Does infection prevention and control training of patients and carers help in the prevention of infection in vulnerable patients being cared for in their own homes?
  10. How can the development and severity of urinary tract infections in elderly be decreased?

The following questions were also discussed and put in order of priority at the workshop:

  1. How can we alter the public perception of antibiotics in order to ensure that antibiotics are not sought for conditions for which there is no benefit?
  2. How does individualised antimicrobial dosing compare with standard dosing regimen in patients admitted in intensive care unit with infections?
  3. Is screening and isolation of patients with antibiotic resistant bacteria effective (in decreasing transmission of infections and deaths)?
  4. How effective is alcohol gel in preventing HCAI?
  5. How can we improve general hygiene and hand hygiene in hospital visitors?
  6. Is outpatient antibiotic therapy better than inpatient antibiotic therapy in people requiring intravenous antibiotics?
  7. Can nanotechnology (that is working with very small particles) result in better treatments for infection?
  8. How can chest infections be prevented in elderly people admitted to hospital?
  9. Does antibiotic prescription based on point-of-care (bedside) C-reactive protein to diagnose bacterial infection decrease amount of antibiotic prescription, antibiotic resistance, and hospital admission due to community-acquired pneumonia?
  10. Does keeping intravenous lines connected for 72 hours decrease HCAI compared to frequent connection and disconnection of intravenous lines in patients with intravenous lines?
  11. How can we improve the resources available to healthcare professionals , volunteers, and cleaners and improve their knowledge and training for better identification, prevention, and treatment of HCAI?
  12. How can we improve the antimicrobial prescription by junior doctors?
  13. Should the requirement for urinary catheters be periodically reviewed in people with long-term urinary catheter?
  14. What are the alternatives to single room isolation of people with antibiotic resistant bacteria so that the care of such people can be improved?
  15. Do sensor operated taps, toilet lids, and door opening in hospitals prevent HCAI?
  16. Are single-day antibiotics better than longer course of antibiotics in treating urinary tract infection?
  17. What is the risk posed to the patients admitted in hospital by visitors in spreading all infections including Norovirus and flu?
  18. How can we improve the awareness of health-care professionals about sepsis?
  19. What is the best antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infection?
  20. Are bacteriophages better than antibiotics in people with antibiotic resistant bacteria?