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9 PATIENT SAFETY & OUTCOMES 7 risk factors associated with clinical C. auris infections By Mariah Taylor CDC and Florida Health Department researchers found seven risk factors that can lead to clinical Candida auris cases. e study, published Oct. 2 in Clinical Infectious Diseases, analyzed patients in Florida healthcare facilities that had C. auris infections aer prior colonization from January 2019 through December 2023. Researchers reviewed 1,073 patient records and identified 105 patients with documented clinical specimens aer colonization and 578 patients with colonization only. Researchers found several factors that were significantly associated with progression to clinical cases: 1. Five or more comorbid conditions 2. Four or more invasive devices 3. ree or more recent medical procedures 4. Fully dependent care required for eating 5. Limited mobility 6. Inability to transfer 7. Being in the 50- to 64-year-old age group Identifying these risk factors in clinical progression of C. auris aer colonization could help facilities implement efficient testing protocols and infection control measures, the study authors said. ey encouraged healthcare facilities to prioritize high-acuity patients for early C. auris screening, transmission-based precautions and infection interventions. n Higher caseloads don't impact patient outcomes at SNFs By Mariah Taylor T he number of nursing home patients a physician or nurse practitioner sees does not significantly affect patient outcome measures, such as readmissions and emergency department visits, a Philadelphia-based University of Pennsylvania study found. The study, published Aug. 15 in JAMA Network, used Medicare Parts A and B claims from 77,723 clinicians and the nursing home minimum dataset from 2012 to 2019. The data included older adults admitted to a nursing home who were seen by a physician or advanced practitioner. Researchers analyzed the number of patients these clinicians treated and its effect on patient outcomes. More than half of clinicians treat fewer than 10 patients a year. The study found that patients of clinicians with smaller patient volume did not experience different outcomes compared to those with high patient volumes. This held true for rehospitalizations, successful discharge to community, ED visits and functional improvement at discharge from the nursing home. n