Understanding and Addressing Variation in Health Care–Associated Infections After Durable Ventricular Assist Device Therapy: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

P Paul Chandanabhumma   ¹ , MPH, PhD ;   Michael D Fetters   ¹ , MA, MPH, MD ;   Francis D Pagani   ² , MD, PhD ;   Preeti N Malani   ³ , MSJ, MD ;   John M Hollingsworth   ⁴ , MSc, MD ;   Russell J Funk   ⁵ , PhD ;   Keith D Aaronson   ⁶ , MS, MD ;   Min Zhang   ⁷ , PhD ;   Robert L Kormos   ⁸ , MD ;   Carol E Chenoweth   ³ , MSc, MD ;   Supriya Shore   ⁶ , MSc, MBBS ;   Tessa M F Watt   ² , MSc, MD ;   Lourdes Cabrera   ² , BSc, CCRC ;   Donald S Likosky   ² , PhD

¹ Mixed Methods Program, Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

² Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

³ Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

⁴ Department of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

⁵ Department of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States

⁶ Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

⁷ Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

⁸ Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States