The study is being conducted by Dr. Monika Pogorzelska-Maziarz from Thomas Jefferson University and Dr. Pamela de Cordova from Rutgers University (co-principal investigators) and other researchers from Thomas Jefferson University, Columbia University, and the RAND Corporation.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is funding this research (R01HS029023). 

To find out more about the study, please visit "PITAS Survey: An Interview with Monika-Pogorzelska-Maziarz" , Prevention Strategist, Fall 2023 Issue, p.50-52

Nationally, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a costly patient safety concern in acute care hospitals. Infection Preventionists (IPs) and infection prevention and control (IPC) departments play an integral role in implementing evidence-based policies and procedures to prevent, mitigate and control HAIs. However, evidence describing and validating appropriate IP staffing is lacking. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed an enormous strain on the healthcare system. Emerging evidence suggests that the pandemic has resulted in increased rates of HAI in the acute care setting. However, the impact of the pandemic on IPC departments, including staffing and resources, and on routine IPC activities is unknown. We designed a unique and innovative study to determine how IPC departments have responded to the pandemic and the effectiveness of IPC infrastructure and processes in preventing HAIs.

Who is eligible to participate?

We are recruiting infection control departments from all acute care hospitals in the United States to participate in the study. We are looking for one response per hospital so the survey should be completed by the Infection Control Director or the person in charge of infection control department in the hospital. If you are not sure if your facility is eligible to participate or have any questions, please contact the study team at PITAS-Study@jefferson.edu or 1-888-IP-Study (1-888-477-8839).

What is involved in participation? 

Participation in the study consists of two steps:

1. Completing the PITAS Survey  (30-45 minutes)
   
   You can save the answers to your questions and come back to the survey at a later time.
   
   
2. Sharing NHSN data through the PITAS NHSN group – (5 minutes)
   
   Once you complete the PITAS survey, please follow instructions below to join the PITAS NHNS group.

All data are confidential, and no hospital or individual will be identified in any report. This study has been approved by the Thomas Jefferson University and Rutgers University Institutional Review Board (IRB). 

What are the benefits of participation?

• Your valuable insights will help shape the future of infection prevention and control.
• Responses to the survey will be used to make recommendations and develop strategies to improve infection prevention and control department staffing and resource allocation.
• You will be helping to advance infection prevention and control research.
• You will have a chance to win $100 Amazon electronic gift cards in a weekly lottery. Ten prizes will be given out each week across the survey period.

Who do I contact if I have questions about the study?

For any questions, please contact the study team at 
PITAS-Study@jefferson.edu or 1-888-IP-Study (1-888-477-8839).

• Rebecca Bartles
• Sarah Krein
• Ingrid Nembhard
• Eli Perencevich
  
• Terri Rebmann
• Henrietta Smith