How effective are monthly departmental tracer surveys? A 5-year retrospective study of 138 surveys in 96 departments.

Background: Repeat department-wide surveys are commonly employed for infection control. There remains debate concerning their cost-effectivess. The aim of the study was to measure the impact of repeat department-wide surveys in major in-patient departments (IPDs) and ambulatory facilities (AFs) in a tertiary care hospital. This was a retrospective study of 138 surveys condcuted in 96 departments over a 5-year period.

Methods: Two itemized questionnaires were designed to assess the most frequently inadequately adhered to infection control measures: one for IPD (with 21 items) and the other for AF (with 17 items).

Results: A total of 72 surveys were conducted in 49 IPDs, of which 39 (54%) were repeat surveys, and 66 surveys in 47 AFs, of which 33 (50%) were repeat surveys. The baseline rate of adherence/department was 71% ± 14 for the IPD, with an increase from the first to the last survey to 82% ± 13 (P = .037). In 15/21 measured infection control items, adherence improved. Adherence to infection control items was lower at baseline in the AFs than in the IPDs (63 ± 27), with an increase to 76 ± 20 (non significant). Although adherence improved for 9 items, it deteriorated in another 8, producing an overall statistically unchanged outcome.

Conclusion: Repeat whole-department surveys contribute moderately to increased adherence to infection control guidelines. AFs demonstrate lower rates of adherence to infection control guidelines and are less receptive to educational measures.