Healthcare-Associated Infections
HAIs, many caused by AR organisms, pose a grave threat to patient safety. To reduce HAI-related morbidity and mortality, it is essential that novel interventions are identified and tested, driven by a deep understanding of pathogenesis and transmission. Already, emerging pathogens, particularly multidrug-resistant organisms such as carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), threaten to put us back in the pre-antibiotic era, where we may have few, if any medical therapies to treat life threatening infections. Thus, research into the epidemiology of HAIs, improved understanding of AR, and the development of effective novel interventions are high priorities of funding agencies, healthcare facilities, and patients.
Why CHARM?
The scope of the problem requires high-quality, high-impact, and multidisciplinary research. Currently, groups often work independently on similar questions, posing challenges in efficiency and leveraging of resources. Geographic variation in outbreaks of organisms, such as C. difficile and CRAB, highlight a need for regional collaborations to respond directly to local public health needs by coordinating and leading multiple lines of inquiry.
Patient Engagement
The PEER Group is a group of patients and care partners who work with Dr. Nasia Safdar in the Department of Infectious Disease to improve research by incorporating the patient perspective at all stages. PEER Group members have lived experience with healthcare-associated infections, either as a patient themselves or a caregiver for someone else who had an infection. They bring their knowledge and passion for preventing healthcare-associated infections to help identify key research initiatives, improve study design, and help us conduct research that is meaningful to patients.
Collaboration is Critical
State and regional collaboration is critical in the study and mitigation of HAIs and AR. For example, Wisconsin has recently been battling a large outbreak of CRAB in multiple post-acute care facilities. The burden of HAI and AR in these facilities is huge, yet, antibiotic stewardship in the post-acute setting remains challenging and under-studied and regional disparities persist. Antibiotic resistance can exist in community reservoirs that require localized understanding and responses to prevent outbreaks. Studies indicate that C. difficile is associated with community exposure and CHARM collaborators have recently described an increased risk of C. difficile colonization at hospital admission among Wisconsinites living closer to livestock farms.
"Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), the majority of which are caused by antimicrobial-resistant (AR) organisms, pose a major threat to patient safety. Every year 700,000 HAIs occur in acute care settings alone in the U.S., causing 75,000 deaths and billions in healthcare costs."
Goals
Laboratory Core
The Laboratory Core connects investigators with strategies and resources for lab-based work, including an inventory of shared lab equipment. When submitting Center grants, the Lab Core conducts all laboratory procedures.
Data Core
The Data Core supports investigators with statistics and data management throughout research, including experimental design, sample size estimation, data analysis, study monitoring, result reporting, and publication.
Methods Core
The Methods Core offers investigators access to specialized research expertise in areas like clinical trials, health services research, and informatics. It also connects investigators with additional experts to ensure high-quality study completion.
Epidemiology Core
The Epidemiology Core unites population health scientists with clinicians, including experts in infection prevention and healthcare epidemiology. It offers expertise in research methods, data analysis, and applying epidemiology to clinical settings.
"CHARM serves as a central point to engage external entities – including other academic institutions, healthcare systems, and public health agencies – to coordinate research goals with public health needs in the state and provide an outstanding “real world” setting in which to conduct HAI prevention research."