Doing it right the first time: quality improvement and the contaminant blood culture.
The aim of the project was to determine whether the rate of contaminant blood cultures could be reduced by using a team of dedicated phlebotomists. Comparisons were made between adult patients requiring blood cultures for suspected bacteremia on medical and surgical units before and after the introduction and withdrawal of a dedicated blood culture team. The results showed that a significant reduction in the contaminant blood culture rate was achieved by the blood culture team (P < 0.001; chi(2) test). Therefore, in our experience, the rate of contaminant blood cultures can be reduced in a teaching hospital by using a team of dedicated phlebotomists. Calculations made with our data and those published by others suggest that cost savings from reducing false-positive blood cultures are greater than the cost of the blood culture team.
Weinbaum
F I
FI
Department of Surgery, New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, Flushing 11355, USA.
Lavie
S
S
Danek
M
M
Sixsmith
D
D
Heinrich
G F
GF
Mills
S S
SS
D000328:Adult; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D018962:Phlebotomy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011786:Quality Control