Universal COVID-19 testing and a three-space triage protocol is associated with a nine-fold decrease in possible nosocomial infections in an inpatient psychiatric facility. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • In May of 2020, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMSA) issued guidelines for state psychiatric hospitals, recommending that these facilities adopt universal testing for COVID-19 and "three-space" triage protocols for dedicated COVID-19 positive, negative, and quarantine spaces to mitigate the risk of nosocomial infection. The Westchester Behavioral Health Center of New York Presbyterian Hospital (WBHC-NYP) adopted a comprehensive infection control protocol consistent with these recommendations in April, 2020. We reviewed the records of 1,139 patients treated on the inpatient service at WBHC-NYP between March 14th and June 10th, 2020, dates corresponding to the first COVID-19 surge in the New York City metropolitan region. The incidence of detected nosocomial or possible nosocomial infections before and during the implementation of the protocol was 0.096 (16/167), or 0.96 infections per 10 at-risk patients. The incidence of nosocomial or possible nosocomial infections after complete implementation was 0.0110 (2/182), or 1.1 infections per 100 at-risk patients. The difference in incidence between the two time points was statistically significant (p<.0003) and represents a 9-fold decrease. Our findings support the institutional use of a combined testing and space allocation protocol to mitigate risk of outbreaks in confined settings.

publication date

  • May 28, 2021

Research

keywords

  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Cross Infection
  • Hospitals, Psychiatric
  • Triage

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC8161793

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85108082318

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.3390/geriatrics6010010

PubMed ID

  • 34098157

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 302