Spreading the word, not the infection: Reaching hospitalists about the prevention of antimicrobial resistance

Background: To reach and engage hospitalists in the prevention of antimicrobial resistance, the Society of Hospital Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed and conducted a quality improvement workshop based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Campaign to Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance in Healthcare Settings. Methods: We aimed to examine motivating factors, perceived barriers, and cues to action for hospitalists to learn about and engage in the prevention of antimicrobial resistance and to determine whether a workshop can facilitate the implementation of a quality improvement project. Using the Health Belief Model as a theoretical framework, we interviewed hospitalists who attended (attendees) and did not attend (nonattendees) the workshop. Data were qualitatively coded and analyzed. Results: Nine attendees and 10 nonattendees participated in interviews. Motivating factors for attending the workshop included an interest in the topic of quality improvement and antimicrobial resistance prevention, the promotion of the workshop by institutions and colleagues, the opportunity to network with colleagues, and the qualifications of the presenter. Barriers to involvement in quality improvement efforts and the prevention of antimicrobial resistance for both attendees and nonattendees included perceived lack of time, other institutional priorities, and lack of administrative and institutional support. Attendees and nonattendees also identified perceived effective and preferred methods for receiving information about antimicrobial resistance, such as workshops and presentations, e-mail, institutional involvement, and the Internet. Overall, attendees thought that the workshop could be effective in facilitating the implementation of a quality improvement project. Conclusion: By considering factors that influence behavioral change, interventions, such as the Society of Hospital Medicine workshop, have the ability to reach and engage clinicians such as hospitalists in quality improvement efforts to prevent antimicrobial resistance and improve adherence to infection control strategies. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that the Health Belief Model can provide an applicable framework for examining factors that influence clinician behavior.