Hospitals often use certain tools or practices that can actually increase a patient's risk of infection. These are known as low-value care measures. A review of 57 different studies looked into why these practices, such as using urinary catheters or wearing gloves, continue to be used even when they might not be necessary.
Researchers found that the reasons for using these practices often come from professional habits, patient needs, and the internal environment of the hospital. Most of these factors lead to the continued use of these tools rather than helping doctors stop using them when they aren't needed. The review specifically looked at 37 cases involving urinary catheters and 17 cases regarding general infection prevention measures like glove use.
Because the original studies did not always clearly define what counts as low-value care, it is still hard to pinpoint exactly why these habits stick. The findings suggest that hospitals need more specific, context-sensitive plans to help staff move away from practices that do not help patients but do increase infection risks.
