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Costs of surgical site infections that appear after hospital discharge

Nicholas Graves1, Kate Halton, Merrilyn Curtis

  • 1The Centre for Healthcare Related Infection Surveillance and Prevention, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. n.graves@qut.edu.au

Emerging Infectious Diseases
|May 18, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Postdischarge surgical site infections occurred in 8.46% of patients, incurring minimal extra costs. This finding challenges previous research that suggested higher financial burdens from these common surgical complications.

Area of Science:

  • Surgical Patient Outcomes
  • Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

  • Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant concern following hospital discharge.
  • Previous studies have indicated substantial economic costs associated with postdischarge SSIs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of postdischarge surgical site infections.
  • To evaluate the actual economic impact of these infections.
  • To reconcile findings with existing literature on SSI costs.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective data collection from surgical patients during hospitalization.
  • Follow-up assessments at 4 postdischarge intervals to identify infections.
  • Cost analysis of identified postdischarge surgical site infections.

Main Results:

  • The incidence of postdischarge surgical site infection was 8.46%.
  • Evidence indicated that these infections resulted in minor additional healthcare costs.
  • Findings contrast with prior literature suggesting higher cost burdens.

Conclusions:

  • Postdischarge surgical site infections represent a moderate clinical issue with a lower-than-expected economic impact.
  • The cost-effectiveness of infection prevention strategies warrants re-evaluation.
  • Further investigation into the methodologies of previous cost studies is recommended.

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