title: Infectious diseases consultations at an Australian tertiary hospital: a review of 11,511 inpatient consultations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infectious diseases (ID) clinicians provide an important service within tertiary hospitals. However, as a largely consultation-based service, their value can be difficult to evaluate.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A review of 13.5 years of consultations was undertaken to define the scope of the service and any changes over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  ID consultations at the Princess Alexandra Hospital are tracked on a database, recording information including the requesting team, indication for and outcome of the consult. Incident formal inpatient consultations between July 1999 and December 2012 were reviewed retrospectively. Phone consultations, repeat consultations and ID admissions were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven thousand five hundred and eleven consultations were identified, with annual consultations increasing significantly during this period. Overall, formal consultations were performed on 1.3% of admissions. Consultations were most commonly requested by orthopaedics (14.3%) and general medicine (11.4%). The two most common syndromes triggering a consult were bloodstream infection (13.9%) and complicated soft tissue infection (7.8%). The final diagnosis was most frequently osteomyelitis (7.9%). Staphylococcus aureus (19.4%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.3%) were the most commonly identified pathogens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The demand for ID consultations has increased over time and there are likely to be many drivers of this increase. Information derived from this audit can enhance the ID service by guiding service delivery, trainee education and informing funding or accreditation applications.
authors: Infection Management Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors: E C
authors: EC
authors: Bursle
authors: E G
authors: EG
authors: Playford
authors: D F M
authors: DF
authors: Looke
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016470:Bacteremia; D054869:Clinical Audit; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010019:Osteomyelitis; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Australia; consult; infectious diseases consultation