Isolation of patients with vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE): Efficacy of an electronic alert system

BORBOLLA, DAMIAN; TALIERCIO, VANINA; SCHACHNER, BIBIANA; GOMEZ SALDANO, ANA MARIA; SALAZAR, ESTELA; LUNA, DANIEL; GONZALEZ BERNALDO DE QUIROS, FERNAN

Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

IOS Press

Año: 2012 vol. 180 p. 698 - 702

0926-9630

This study investigates the implementation of an alert system for the isolation of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) colonized patients. Given the risk of admitting a patient colonized by VRE it is necessary to implement efficient isolation measures. An electronic alert system integrated into a health information system (HIS) could help with the detection of these patients and their isolation in proper units. Objectives: Determine the efficacy of an electronic alert system in improving the rate of properly isolation of patients colonized with VRE. Methods: two consecutive series of admission in adults units of 67 patients that were infected or colonized with VRE were compared. The time period of the study was six months before the implementation of the alert system and six months postimplementation of the system. Results: The proportion of admission with proper isolation of the patient in correct units increased 44% after the alert system implementation. Conclusion: The implementation of an alert system improved the proportion of properly isolated patients with VRE. © 2012 European Federation for Medical Informatics and IOS Press. All rights reserved.