Measuring compliance with transmission-based isolation precautions: comparison of paper-based and electronic data collection.

Background Decreasing the transmission of resistant organisms in hospitals is a key goal of infection prevention plans. Studies have consistently shown inadequate health care worker (HCW) compliance with isolation precautions. Evaluating adherence through direct observation of HCW behavior is considered the “gold standard” but is labor-intensive, requiring the collection and analysis of a large volume of observations. Methods Two methods of data collection to assess HCW compliance were evaluated: a manual method using a paper form (PF), with subsequent data entry into a database, and an electronic method using a Web-based form (WBF) with real-time data recording. Observations were conducted at 4 hospitals (a total of 2,065 beds) to assess the availability of gloves, gowns, and masks; isolation sign postings; and HCW isolation practices. Results A total of 13,878 isolation rooms were observed in 2009. The median number of rooms observed per day was 61 for PF and 60 for WBF, and the respective mean observation times per room were 149 seconds and 60 seconds. Thus, use of the WBF provided a time savings of 89 seconds per room. Conclusion Simple electronic forms can significantly decrease the required resources for monitoring HCW adherence to hospital policies. Use of the WBF decreased the observation time by 60%, allowing for increases in the frequency and intensity of surveillance activities.