NQF-endorsed measures decrease inappropriate infection diagnoses

Hospitals seeking to improve diagnostic safety, antibiotic use and patient care should use two National Quality Forum-endorsed measures to reduce inappropriate diagnosis of urinary tract infections and community-acquired pneumonia, a study found. Published this week in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Journal of Patient Safety, the study describes the development and characteristics of the safety measures for UTIs and CAPs, the most common inpatient infections in general medicine services. Both measures showed strong validity and reliability through testing with patient focus groups and case review. Evaluation across 49 Michigan hospitals demonstrated significant declines in inappropriate diagnoses of UTI and CAP, revealing broad usability of these measures to help improve outcomes. (AHRQ Journal of Patient Safety article, 7/16/24)