Postcesarean SSI rate declines with care bundle*
REPORTING FROM THE PREGNANCY MEETING
The study showed that with continued tracking, data-sharing, and reeducation efforts, “The SSI rate was sustained after bundle implementation,” said Dr. Davidson. The implementation team, working with hospital departments, was able to achieve a high compliance rate. And, she said, the effect size of the intervention was large enough to show significant reduction from an already low SSI rate.
However, Dr. Davidson also noted some limitations: All of the bundle elements were implemented simultaneously, so it wasn’t possible to tell which components had the greatest effect. Also, not all demographic data were available, and the type of SSI was sometimes unavailable from the deidentified data repository used for analysis, she said. “We weren’t able to tease out individual patient-level characteristics” about the timing and type of SSI in a patient-by-patient fashion, she said during discussion following her presentation.
All in all, she said, the bundle’s effectiveness “supports the synergistic effects of multiple strategies and the impact of a multidisciplinary team approach.”
The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
SOURCE: Davidson C et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Jan;218:S46.
Correction, 3/5/18: An earlier version of this article omitted the word "rate" from the headline and Vitals section.
