Comparing the impact of two contact isolation modes for hospitalised patients with Clostridioides difficile infection on the quality of care

Background: Clostridioides difficile causes healthcare-associated infections. Environmental spore acquisition is a major mode of transmission. Patient cohorting to prevent cross-transmission in healthcare-institutions is a reasonable component of an enhanced infection control strategy. Objective: The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of two different contact isolation modes on the quality of care of hospitalised patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Methods: A retrospective cohort-study of patients with CDI hospitalised under one of two contact isolation modes: contact isolation in a multi-patient room without a dedicated nursing team vs. contact isolation in a permanent cohort isolation unit with a dedicated nursing team. Patients' files were reviewed for demographics, clinical characteristics, risk-assessment scores, clinical quality measures including the number of blood tests collected per day, the number of radiological tests applied per day and the time at which a radiological test was conducted, as process measurements, along with the length of stay and mortality, as outcome measures. The STROBE checklist for reporting observational studies was followed. Results: One hundred and seventy-eight patients with CDI were included; 100 in a permanent cohort isolation unit and 78 under contact isolation in a multi-patient room. No difference was found in all clinical quality process measures and in all outcome measures. Multivariable logistic regression showed that nursing home residence was associated with in-hospital mortality (OR, 2.51; CI, 1.29–4.97; p =.007), whereas the mode of hospitalisation was not. Conclusions: The different contact isolation modes of hospitalisation did not compromise the quality of care of patients with CDI. Relevance to clinical practice: Cohorting of patients with CDI is used to prevent cross-transmission, though it raises a major concern regarding quality of care. In this study we show there was no compromise in patient care, therefore it is a reasonable component of an enhanced infection control strategy in a hospital setting.