title: A district general hospital's method of post-operative infection surveillance including post-discharge follow-up, developed over a five-year period.
abstract: We report on a post-operative infection surveillance system which includes post-discharge follow-up, developed over five years in a district general hospital in the West Midlands, UK. The methods used for following up 667 patients undergoing one of five representative surgical procedures are described. Emergency, elective and day-case procedures are included. A combination of healthcare worker questionnaire, telephone calls and patient questionnaire gave a follow-up rate of 92.7%. The system took infection control staff an average of 40 min per patient (30 min inpatient assessment, 10 min post-discharge). Almost half (48%) of surgical site infections were diagnosed after discharge from hospital. The system worked equally well when conducted as part of the UK Nosocomial Infection National Surveillance Scheme (NINSS), or as in-house projects. It is likely that the system could be used in other areas with similar population characteristics and support from local general practitioners working in the community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Worcester Royal Infirmary, Castle Street, Worcester, WR1 3AS, UK. jane.stockley@worcsacute.wmids.nhs.uk
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Stockley
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Thomlinson
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Constantine
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006767:Hospitals, District; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone