Patient narratives of surgical site infection: implications for practice

Abstract

SSIs have a low profile among patients which, if it were raised, could increase compliance with preventive interventions. This study confirms the appropriateness of using patient self-assessment post-discharge surveillance questionnaires to identify SSI symptoms, and highlights the need to identify total costings including to primary care, patients and the economy.

Management and cost of surgical site infection in patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastasis

“…1 Therefore, those hospitals which conduct high-quality, rigorous surveillance of SSIs (and which therefore are more likely to identify more cases of infection) are likely to be penalized within the current surveillance service. 21 This further exacerbates the cost to the service which provides the initial surgical treatment.…”

“…While the informed consenting process for surgery should involve a discussion around the risk of SSI, very few patients appear to be concerned about this complication prior to their operation. 21 However, the impact on the quality of life of patients, families and carers who do experience SSI is likely to be substantial. This is perhaps magnified in spinal tumour patients given the clinical implications of SSI after this type of surgery (i.e.…”

“…Previously it has been estimated that healthcare costs only account for 10% of the overall costs of SSI to the wider economy, 22 which would include loss of earnings of patients and carers, and reductions in productivity through absence from work. 21 Ways of reducing the number of SSIs occurring in the first instance are therefore highly desirable. Preventative measures such as the use of evidence-based care bundles have shown some promise.…”

Defining the user role in infection control

“…In-depth qualitative research has revealed that surgical site infections were perceived by patients to be as a result of chance or as a result of their own neglect in post-operative care; MRSA conversely was viewed as avoidable and hence the result of deficiencies in hospital management and care. 10 Users are exposed to a lot of information and indicators about rates of hospital acquired infections via hospital websites as well as the media but we don't know how users …”

Improving care in surgery – a qualitative study of managers’ experiences of implementing evidence-based practice in the operating room

“…[1] The implementation of innovations for surgical care within the operating room (OR) context has been massive over the last 100 years and can be described in many ways as a life-saving success. How-ever, unintended harm from surgery such as postoperative infections are preventable complications that cause unnecessary patient suffering [2][3][4] and deaths. [5,6] Results from the Harvard Medical Practice Study II [7] showed that nearly half (48%) of the errors in medical practice were related to surgical procedures, most of which occurred in the OR.…”