Application of Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to Improve Clostridioides difficile Infection Management in South African District Hospitals

Abstract Background Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a global health threat. Measurable gaps exist in CDI quality of care and CDI knowledge in South Africa. This study describes the development of a CDI intervention informed by the local context within South African public district level hospitals, and analyzes the CDI intervention development, implementation process and adaptations to understand acceptance, uptake, successes, and failures of the CDI intervention. Methods A CDI checklist intervention was designed and implemented at three district level hospitals in the Western Cape, South Africa. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used as a framework to contextualize study findings, including a description of the implementation process and adaptations for each hospital. A mixed-methods approach was applied with quantitative outcomes data and qualitative interview and focus group data with front-line and administrative healthcare personnel. Transcripts were coded to a priori workflow steps as well as to aspects of the CDI checklist intervention and emerging themes. The CFIR framework was applied to results from the qualitative interviews, observations by research team members, and quantitative patient outcomes data in order to identify drivers and barriers to implementation and to understand differences in uptake at the three sites. Highly relevant and moderately relevant constructs for the Intervention, Inner Setting, and Implementation Process domains were identified. Results Each hospital adapted the implementation process based on available resources, while maintaining the intervention core elements. One hospital displayed high uptake of the intervention compared to the two other hospitals. Highly relevant CFIR constructs linked to intervention uptake included tension for change, strong peer intervention champions, champions in influential leadership positions, and intervention complexity, among others. Tension of change at the high uptake hospital was also supported by an academic partnership for antimicrobial stewardship. Conclusion We provide a straight-forward health systems strengthening intervention for CDI that is both needed and uncomplicated, in an understudied LMIC setting. Intervention uptake was highest in the hospital with tension for change, influential champions, and existing academic partnerships. Further research is needed in reaching and involving understudied settings with fewer academic connections and to examine impact on patient outcomes.