Postdischarge surveillance system in a private hospital

Abstract

The third most common cause of Nosocomial Infections (Nl) are Surgical Site Infections (SSI), counting for approximately 14% to 16% of all NI. Most SSls can be diagnosed while patients are still hospitali zed, but some of them can only be detected once patients return to the hospital from home for their postoperative medical visit. For their identification, several epidemiologic surveillance methods are utilized, all of them carried out in an active, selective and systematic way. The purpose of this study is to determine the need of implementing a post discharge surveillance system to detect SSI in clean surgical wounds after surgery in a private facility located in Santiago. We performed a retrospective review of medical records of breast surgery, prostatectomies, thyroidectomies and hysterectomies operated between September and November 2007, looking for postdischarge SSI. We compared our findings with those reported by the NI Committee. Specially designed data collection sheet was utili zed for every patient. We registered the type and distribution of surgeries, total hospital stay, posto perative medical visit and the type of surgical wound. SS/s were identified, according to their clinical description. 175 patient's records were reviewed. Only one additional SS/ was detected. We believe it is not possible to recommend a sistematic retrospective surveillance method like the one we described because of the low frequency of SSI in these types of surgeries.