Infection prevention practices in the United States, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Japan: Results from national surveys

Objective: To assess the extent to which evidence-based practices are regularly used in acute care hospitals in different countries. Design: Cross-sectional survey study. Participants and setting: Infection preventionists in acute care hospitals in the United States (US), the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Japan. Methods: Data collected from hospital surveys distributed between 2015 and 2017 were evaluated to determine the use of practices to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Descriptive statistics were used to examine hospital characteristics and the percentage of hospitals reporting regular use of each infection prevention practice. Results: Survey response rates were 59% in the United States, 65% in the Netherlands, 77% in Switzerland, and 65% in Japan. Several recommended practices were used in the majority of hospitals: aseptic catheter insertion and maintenance (CAUTI), maximum sterile barrier precautions (CLABSI), semirecumbent patient positioning (VAP), and contact precautions and routine daily cleaning (CDI). Other prevention practices for CAUTI and VAP were used less frequently, particularly in Swiss and Japanese hospitals. Established surveillance systems were also lacking in Dutch, Swiss and Japanese hospitals. Conclusions: Most hospitals in the United States, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Japan have adopted certain infection prevention practices. Clear opportunities for reducing HAI risk in hospitals exist across all 4 countries surveyed.

Automated summary

The study assessed the regular use of evidence-based practices in acute care hospitals across the US, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Japan. Most hospitals adopted recommended practices, but there were opportunities for reducing hospital-acquired infection risks in all four countries. Some prevention practices were used less frequently in Swiss and Japanese hospitals, and surveillance systems were lacking in Dutch, Swiss, and Japanese hospitals.