The Anesthesiologist’s Role in Preventing Surgical Site Infection

December 5, 2016 by Dr. Clemens Leave a Comment

Author:Amanda Rhee, M.D.
ASA Monitor 12 2016, Vol.80, 24-26.
Anesthesiologists have long been recognized as leaders in the field of medicine for promoting safety and quality. The prevention of hospital-acquired infections is no exception. While wound infections have once been thought of as solely related to surgical activities, there are aspects of the case managed by anesthesiologists that have an impact on surgical site infections.
In 2006, the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) was launched as the culmination of the efforts of 10 national organizations with the goal of improving the safety of surgical care through reduction of postoperative complications. Anesthesiologists directly impact six of the nine SCIP core measures, four of which are related to surgical site infection (SSI) reduction. An analysis of the different SCIP metrics and whether they have been successful is beyond the scope of this article, but the metrics highlight the importance of the impact anesthesiologists have on the overall well-being of patients in the O.R. and beyond. It is therefore important for services to communicate with one another and to heighten awareness of these issues to better provide comprehensive, coordinated care to achieve optimal outcomes.

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