Optimisation of aetiological examination processes for enhanced quality and efficiency in hospitalised patients prior to antimicrobial therapy: a multicentre quasi-experimental study
Objectives This study aimed to optimise the aetiological examination process in hospitalised patients to enhance pathogen detection quality and efficiency. The hypothesis was that process management strategies would improve specimen submission rates, quality, timeliness and antimicrobial use adjustm...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-05-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open Quality |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/14/2/e003257.full |
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| author | Yan Liu Mei Lin Xiao Zhong Li-Hua Xiao Lan-Fang Mo Shan-Wen Yang Lan-Fang He Qin-Fei Wu Xiao-Feng Luo |
| author_facet | Yan Liu Mei Lin Xiao Zhong Li-Hua Xiao Lan-Fang Mo Shan-Wen Yang Lan-Fang He Qin-Fei Wu Xiao-Feng Luo |
| author_sort | Yan Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives This study aimed to optimise the aetiological examination process in hospitalised patients to enhance pathogen detection quality and efficiency. The hypothesis was that process management strategies would improve specimen submission rates, quality, timeliness and antimicrobial use adjustment.Design A multicentre quasi-experimental pre–post comparison design was used, with baseline and postoptimisation phases.Setting Two hospitals in Guangming District, Shenzhen, China.Participants 34 790 inpatients in the baseline and 34 361 in the postoptimisation phase, across all departments.Interventions Implemented process clarification, standardisation of specimen collection/submission and multidisciplinary collaboration, with comprehensive staff training.Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome measures were the pathogen submission rate before antimicrobial therapy. The secondary outcome measure was the adjustment rate of antimicrobial use based on test results, specimen qualification rate and specimen submission time. These measures were evaluated before and after process optimisation.Results Postoptimisation, key metrics improved significantly: pathogen submission rate (50.82%–71.77%), specimen qualification rate (90.20%–98.71%), submission time (192–104 min) and antimicrobial adjustment rate (74.11%–93.24%; all p<0.001).Conclusions Process management effectively enhanced aetiological examination quality and efficiency, with potential for widespread adoption.Trial registration number Not applicable as this was a quasi-experimental study. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6ed6f2de25f248d4bbf2e6a81cf5e7d4 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2399-6641 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open Quality |
| spelling | doaj-art-6ed6f2de25f248d4bbf2e6a81cf5e7d42025-08-20T03:10:28ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Quality2399-66412025-05-0114210.1136/bmjoq-2024-003257Optimisation of aetiological examination processes for enhanced quality and efficiency in hospitalised patients prior to antimicrobial therapy: a multicentre quasi-experimental studyYan Liu0Mei Lin1Xiao Zhong2Li-Hua Xiao3Lan-Fang Mo4Shan-Wen Yang5Lan-Fang He6Qin-Fei Wu7Xiao-Feng Luo81 Infection Management Department, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China1 Infection Management Department, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China1 Infection Management Department, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China2 Logistics Department, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China1 Infection Management Department, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China1 Infection Management Department, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China1 Infection Management Department, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China1 Infection Management Department, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China1 Infection Management Department, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, ChinaObjectives This study aimed to optimise the aetiological examination process in hospitalised patients to enhance pathogen detection quality and efficiency. The hypothesis was that process management strategies would improve specimen submission rates, quality, timeliness and antimicrobial use adjustment.Design A multicentre quasi-experimental pre–post comparison design was used, with baseline and postoptimisation phases.Setting Two hospitals in Guangming District, Shenzhen, China.Participants 34 790 inpatients in the baseline and 34 361 in the postoptimisation phase, across all departments.Interventions Implemented process clarification, standardisation of specimen collection/submission and multidisciplinary collaboration, with comprehensive staff training.Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome measures were the pathogen submission rate before antimicrobial therapy. The secondary outcome measure was the adjustment rate of antimicrobial use based on test results, specimen qualification rate and specimen submission time. These measures were evaluated before and after process optimisation.Results Postoptimisation, key metrics improved significantly: pathogen submission rate (50.82%–71.77%), specimen qualification rate (90.20%–98.71%), submission time (192–104 min) and antimicrobial adjustment rate (74.11%–93.24%; all p<0.001).Conclusions Process management effectively enhanced aetiological examination quality and efficiency, with potential for widespread adoption.Trial registration number Not applicable as this was a quasi-experimental study.https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/14/2/e003257.full |
| spellingShingle | Yan Liu Mei Lin Xiao Zhong Li-Hua Xiao Lan-Fang Mo Shan-Wen Yang Lan-Fang He Qin-Fei Wu Xiao-Feng Luo Optimisation of aetiological examination processes for enhanced quality and efficiency in hospitalised patients prior to antimicrobial therapy: a multicentre quasi-experimental study BMJ Open Quality |
| title | Optimisation of aetiological examination processes for enhanced quality and efficiency in hospitalised patients prior to antimicrobial therapy: a multicentre quasi-experimental study |
| title_full | Optimisation of aetiological examination processes for enhanced quality and efficiency in hospitalised patients prior to antimicrobial therapy: a multicentre quasi-experimental study |
| title_fullStr | Optimisation of aetiological examination processes for enhanced quality and efficiency in hospitalised patients prior to antimicrobial therapy: a multicentre quasi-experimental study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimisation of aetiological examination processes for enhanced quality and efficiency in hospitalised patients prior to antimicrobial therapy: a multicentre quasi-experimental study |
| title_short | Optimisation of aetiological examination processes for enhanced quality and efficiency in hospitalised patients prior to antimicrobial therapy: a multicentre quasi-experimental study |
| title_sort | optimisation of aetiological examination processes for enhanced quality and efficiency in hospitalised patients prior to antimicrobial therapy a multicentre quasi experimental study |
| url | https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/14/2/e003257.full |
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