Use of health databases to deal with underreporting of surgical site infections due to suboptimal post-discharge follow-up

C Gagliotti; R Buttazzi; A Ricciardi; E Ricchizzi; G Lanciotti; M L Moro

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2019.09.009

Use of health databases to deal with underreporting of surgical site infections due to suboptimal post-discharge follow-up

J Hosp Infect. 2020 Feb;104(2):239-242. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2019.09.009. Epub 2019 Sep 13.

Authors

C Gagliotti¹, R Buttazzi², A Ricciardi², E Ricchizzi², G Lanciotti³, M L Moro²

Affiliations

¹ Agenzia sanitaria e sociale regionale Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Electronic address: c_gagliotti_it@yahoo.it.
² Agenzia sanitaria e sociale regionale Emilia-Romagna, Italy.
³ Servizio ICT, tecnologie e strutture sanitarie, Assessorato politiche per la salute, Regione Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

PMID: 31525449
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2019.09.009

Abstract

This study describes a combined surveillance of surgical site infection implemented in an Italian region, which relies on integration of the specific surveillance (SIChER) with other sources and the targeted review of a small proportion of cases. Additional information on post-surgical follow-up was obtained from hospital discharge, microbiology laboratory and emergency department databases. Based on these data, 76 patients were reclassified as possible cases and revised by the health trust representatives. Eventually 45 new cases were confirmed, leading to an increase in the infection ratio from 1.13% to 1.45%. The proposed method appears to be accurate and sustainable over time.

Keywords: Health database; Medical record review; Surgical site infection; Surveillance.

Publication types

Comparative Study

MeSH terms

Algorithms
Databases, Factual
Diagnostic Errors / statistics & numerical data
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Italy / epidemiology
Patient Discharge
Public Health Surveillance / methods*
Surgical Wound Infection / classification
Surgical Wound Infection / diagnosis
Surgical Wound Infection / epidemiology*