title: Interpretative reporting and selective antimicrobial susceptibility release in non-critical microbiology results.
abstract: The action taken in response to 169 positive sputum, urine and wound culture reports was examined. All reports included interpretative comments. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were released in 29 (17%). Therapy was significantly more likely to be started or altered in response to reports where susceptibilities were released (13 of 29, 45%) versus those without susceptibility release (31 of 140, 22%). Susceptibility release did not influence the appropriateness of antibiotic therapy. The clinical microbiology team was contacted for therapeutic advice in response to 32 (19%) reports. Of the remaining 137 reports, therapy was started or altered in response to 30 (22%) reports, but was considered appropriate in only seven (22%) of these.
authors.affiliation: Beaumont Hospital and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 9, Ireland. cunneyr@fhs.mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cunney
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smyth
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents