Intravenous therapy teams and their association with technology adoption and quality management: a national cross-sectional study of 1,945 hospitals in China

Abstract Background Intravenous (IV) therapy teams are used as an organizational approach to support vascular access practice and quality management. However, national evidence on their establishment and their association with technology adoption and quality-management processes in resource-diverse hospital systems remains limited. Methods We conducted a national cross-sectional survey of hospitals across 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in mainland China in November 2023. One nursing administrator or IV therapy lead from each participating hospital completed an institutional questionnaire. The primary exposure was establishment of an IV therapy team. Outcomes were technology adoption breadth, measured as an 11-item score, and full measured quality implementation, defined as implementation of regular quality inspections, systematic data collection and analysis, and complication reporting. Multivariable ordinary least squares regression with HC3 robust standard errors and logistic regression were used to estimate adjusted associations. Results Among 1,945 hospitals, 1,689 (86.8%) reported having an IV therapy team. The mean technology adoption score was 6.1 +/- 2.2, and 1,431 hospitals (73.6%) met the definition for full measured quality implementation. In adjusted models using a common complete-case sample of 1,943 hospitals, IV therapy team establishment was associated with higher technology adoption breadth (beta = 1.57, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.85; P < 0.001) and higher odds of full measured quality implementation (OR = 4.46, 95% CI 3.29 to 6.06; P < 0.001). IV therapy team establishment was also associated with having formal IV therapy quality evaluation standards (OR = 7.16, 95% CI 5.01 to 10.23; P < 0.001). Conclusions In this national hospital-level survey, IV therapy team establishment was associated with broader technology adoption and more complete measured quality-management implementation. These findings identify IV therapy teams as an organizational marker and potential target for quality-management strengthening, while longitudinal or implementation studies are needed to assess temporality and patient outcomes.