Postdischarge surveillance of surgical site infections using telephone calls and a follow-up card in a resource-limited setting

J Guerra; M Isnard; C Guichon

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2017.02.019

Postdischarge surveillance of surgical site infections using telephone calls and a follow-up card in a resource-limited setting

J Hosp Infect. 2017 May;96(1):16-19. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2017.02.019. Epub 2017 Feb 24.

Authors

J Guerra¹, M Isnard², C Guichon³

Affiliations

¹ Preah Kossamak Hospital, Khan Tuol Kok, Phnom Penh City, Cambodia. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Preah Kossamak Hospital, Khan Tuol Kok, Phnom Penh City, Cambodia.
³ Prupet NGO, Centre Hospitalier Moulins, Moulins Cedex, France.

PMID: 28381341
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2017.02.019

Abstract

The use of a follow-up card and telephone calls appeared to be an efficient modality for postdischarge surveillance of surgical site infections (SSIs) in Cambodia. One hundred and sixty-one patients were given a follow-up card and asked to present it to any healthcare practitioner they visited during the 30 days following their surgery. Patients were subsequently telephoned to collect information. After discharge, 87% of the patients provided follow-up data. Of these, 25 patients with no SSIs detected during hospitalization reported that 'white liquid had discharged from the surgical wound'; among them, nine cases of purulent drainage were reported by a practitioner.

Keywords: Cambodia; Developing countries; Feasibility studies; Infection control; Population surveillance; Surgical wound infection.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aftercare / methods*
Cambodia / epidemiology
Feasibility Studies
Female
Health Resources
Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
Humans
Infection Control / methods
Infection Control / organization & administration
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Discharge / standards*
Population Surveillance / methods*
Prospective Studies
Surgical Wound Infection / epidemiology*
Telephone / standards*
Telephone / statistics & numerical data