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Do New Surgeons Have Higher Surgical-Site Infection Rates?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Rebecca Wurtz ,
Beth Wittrock ,
Mary Alice Lavin  and
Anne Zawacki
Rebecca Wurtz*
Affiliation:
Division of Infection Control and the Department of Medicine, Evanston (Illinois) Hospital, and the Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School–Chicago, Chicago, IL
Beth Wittrock
Affiliation:
Division of Infection Control and the Department of Medicine, Evanston (Illinois) Hospital, and the Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School–Chicago, Chicago, IL
Mary Alice Lavin
Affiliation:
Division of Infection Control and the Department of Medicine, Evanston (Illinois) Hospital, and the Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School–Chicago, Chicago, IL
Anne Zawacki
Affiliation:
Division of Infection Control and the Department of Medicine, Evanston (Illinois) Hospital, and the Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School–Chicago, Chicago, IL
*
Evanston Hospital, 2650 Ridge Ave, Evanston, IL 60201
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Abstract

We compared class I surgical-site infection (SSI) rates for new and experienced surgeons. Data showed that new surgeons in two surgical subspecialties associated with higher baseline SSI rates had rates higher than their experienced colleagues. They took longer in the operating room (OR), but did not operate on sicker patients. As the surgeons gained more experience (as measured by cumulative cases), their OR times and SSI rates decreased toward their colleagues'. New surgeons who perform infection-prone surgery may have higher SSI rates than more experienced colleagues until they gain experience. A new surgeon's SSI rate could be one factor considered in assessing competence.

Type
Concise Communication
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 22 , Issue 6 , June 2001 , pp. 375 - 377
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2001

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