6 Reducing unnecessary patient isolation on general medicine units

• Published in: BMJ open quality 2020-12, Vol.9 (Suppl 1), p.A9-A10
• Main Authors: Carson, Joseph, Taabazuing, Mary-Margaret, Sider, Cody, Payne, Michael, Behzadian, Yassmin, Newman, Alice, Gutierrez, Elaine Hunter, Elliot, Linda, Devoe, Brittany
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Decision making; Patients; Process controls
• ISSN: 2399-6641
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjoq-2020-IHI.6

BackgroundDroplet+contact (DC) precautions are used to prevent the spread of acute respiratory infections. Clinicians at London Health Sciences Centre, an academic tertiary care organization in Ontario, Canada, have reported that many patients remain isolated longer than necessary. Research suggests that prolonged isolation may negatively impact patient outcomes, experience, and costs.ObjectivesReduce unnecessary DC precautions on general medicine units by 30% by March 31, 2020.MethodsOur multi-disciplinary team designed this project using the Model for Improvement. We identified barriers to precaution removal through surveys, chart reviews, process mapping (figure 1), and fishbone diagramming (figure 2). Our change drivers focussed on motivation, precaution identification, reassessment cues, and standardized decision-making (figure 3). In a series of PDSA cycles, we tested and implemented new discontinuation criteria and a decision-support tool across two hospitals (figure 4). Outcomes measures were: (1) % unnecessary DC precautions, collected by weekly physician audits, and (2) DC precautions lasting >5 days, collected from electronic medical records. Our process measures were: (1) user test fidelity, and (2) physician awareness. Our balance measure was physician satisfaction with new criteria. Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s t-test, run charts, and process control charts (QI Macros, IHI Rules).Abstract 6 Figure 1Current state process mapAbstract 6 Figure 2Fishbone barriers to removalAbstract 6 Figure 3Driver diagram and priority matrixAbstract 6 Figure 4Criteria and decision support toolResultsWe completed eight appropriateness audits (n=212 patients) at two hospitals between December 2019 – March 2020. During user testing, eight physicians applied the new criteria and decision-support tool to five mock cases at 92% (37/40) fidelity. After implementing changes, mean precaution appropriateness increased from 30% (24/80) to 64% (85/132), (p5 days.ConclusionsDiscontinuing prolonged DC precautions is important to conserve vital resources, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. We reduced these incidents by implementing standard discontinuation criteria and a decision support tool. Our next step is to adapt these tools to standardize precaution remo