Outcomes of a postdischarge surveillance system for surgical site infections at a Midwestern regional referral center hospital.
BACKGROUND
Postdischarge surveillance has been reported in the literature as one method for detecting surgical site infections (SSIs) that more traditional methods of surveillance (review of readmission data, monitoring of microbiology, radiology, pharmacy antibiotic usage reports, and medical record review) fail to include.


METHODS
This article describes a postdischarge surveillance program that used surgeon questionnaires and was implemented at a 225-bed Midwestern regional referral center hospital. Evaluation of the postdischarge program was accomplished by review of infection control program data for calendar years 1995 through 1997.


RESULTS
Implementation of the postdischarge program resulted in an almost fourfold increase (in both 1995 and 1996) in SSI rates over the reported SSI rates if only traditional surveillance methods had been used. A majority of surgeons (79% in 1995 and 83% in 1996) had individual response rates of 80% or greater. In addition, implementation of the postdischarge program required only 3.5 to 4 additional hours per month.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that the postdischarge surveillance program identified SSIs missed by traditional surveillance methods, resulted in higher reported rates of SSI, was moderately to well accepted by surgeons, and was implemented with a minimum of organizational resources.
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Department of Environments for Health Nursing, Indiana University School of Nursing, Columbus, USA.
D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D015146:Midwestern United States; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012308:Risk Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires