Costs of surgical site infections that appear after hospital discharge.
Data were collected from surgical patients in the hospital and on 4 occasions postdischarge. The incidence of postdischarge surgical site infection was 8.46%. Strong evidence showed that these infections caused minor additional costs, which contradicts existing literature. We discuss why previous studies might have overstated costs.
Graves
Nicholas
N
The Centre for Healthcare Related Infection Surveillance and Prevention, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. n.graves@qut.edu.au
Halton
Kate
K
Curtis
Merrilyn
M
Doidge
Shane
S
Lairson
David
D
McLaws
Marylou
M
Whitby
Michael
M
D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007182:Income; D017053:Infection Control / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*