tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Hosp Infect
. 2022 Aug 20;S0195-6701(22)00254-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.07.032. Online ahead of print.
The difference in strategies for prevention of COVID-19 transmission in hospitals: A nationwide survey results in the Republic of Korea
Wooyoung Jang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Bongyoung Kim[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Eu Suk Kim[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Kyoung-Ho Song[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Song Mi Moon[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Myung Jin Lee[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ji Young Park[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Ji-Yeon Kim[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Myoung Jin Shin[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Hyunju Lee[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Hong Bin Kim[SUP] 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Hospital infection control measures against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are often based on expert discretion due to the lack of detailed guidelines.
Aim: To survey the current strategies for preventing COVID-19 spread in medical institutions.
Methods: Thirteen key issues related to COVID-19 transmission prevention within medical institutions were selected via discussion among infectious diseases specialists, and related critical questions were subsequently obtained following a review of national-level guidelines in government databases. Six hospitals had an open survey between 11[SUP]th[/SUP] and 25[SUP]th[/SUP] August 2020 to provide responses to these topics. An online questionnaire developed from these data was sent to infection control teams of 46 South Korean hospitals between 31[SUP]st[/SUP] January 2021 and 20[SUP]th[/SUP] February 2021.
Findings: All 46 hospitals responded to the survey. All operated screening clinics, but 89.1% (41/46) allowed symptomatic patients without COVID-19-associated symptoms to visit the general outpatient clinics. Most hospitals (87.2%; 34/39) conducted PCR tests for all hospitalised patients. Of 35/46 (76.1%) hospitals with preemptive isolation policies for hospitalised patients, 31 (88.6%) released patients from isolation after a single negative PCR test while most (76.9%; 20/26) allowed shared-room accommodation for patients meeting the national criteria for release from isolation despite positive PCR results with above cycle threshold values (34.6%; 9/26) or after a certain period that satisfied the national criteria (26.9%; 7/26).
Conclusion: Individual hospitals in South Korea are currently relying on experience to frame relevant guidelines and responded differently to some infection control issues on hospital settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019; Hospital; Infection control; Nationwide survey; South Korea.
. 2022 Aug 20;S0195-6701(22)00254-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.07.032. Online ahead of print.
The difference in strategies for prevention of COVID-19 transmission in hospitals: A nationwide survey results in the Republic of Korea
Wooyoung Jang[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Bongyoung Kim[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Eu Suk Kim[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Kyoung-Ho Song[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Song Mi Moon[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Myung Jin Lee[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ji Young Park[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Ji-Yeon Kim[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Myoung Jin Shin[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Hyunju Lee[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Hong Bin Kim[SUP] 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35998837
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.07.032
Abstract
Background: Hospital infection control measures against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are often based on expert discretion due to the lack of detailed guidelines.
Aim: To survey the current strategies for preventing COVID-19 spread in medical institutions.
Methods: Thirteen key issues related to COVID-19 transmission prevention within medical institutions were selected via discussion among infectious diseases specialists, and related critical questions were subsequently obtained following a review of national-level guidelines in government databases. Six hospitals had an open survey between 11[SUP]th[/SUP] and 25[SUP]th[/SUP] August 2020 to provide responses to these topics. An online questionnaire developed from these data was sent to infection control teams of 46 South Korean hospitals between 31[SUP]st[/SUP] January 2021 and 20[SUP]th[/SUP] February 2021.
Findings: All 46 hospitals responded to the survey. All operated screening clinics, but 89.1% (41/46) allowed symptomatic patients without COVID-19-associated symptoms to visit the general outpatient clinics. Most hospitals (87.2%; 34/39) conducted PCR tests for all hospitalised patients. Of 35/46 (76.1%) hospitals with preemptive isolation policies for hospitalised patients, 31 (88.6%) released patients from isolation after a single negative PCR test while most (76.9%; 20/26) allowed shared-room accommodation for patients meeting the national criteria for release from isolation despite positive PCR results with above cycle threshold values (34.6%; 9/26) or after a certain period that satisfied the national criteria (26.9%; 7/26).
Conclusion: Individual hospitals in South Korea are currently relying on experience to frame relevant guidelines and responded differently to some infection control issues on hospital settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019; Hospital; Infection control; Nationwide survey; South Korea.