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An Evaluation of Autopsy Review as a Technique for Infection Control: A Procedure of Questionable Value

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Kent Crossley ,
Janice Johnson ,
Rebecca Mudge  and
Laura Crossley
Kent Crossley*
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, St. Paul, Minnesota Section of Hospital Epidemiology, St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, St. Paul, Minnesota Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Janice Johnson
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, St. Paul, Minnesota Section of Hospital Epidemiology, St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, St. Paul, Minnesota Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Rebecca Mudge
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, St. Paul, Minnesota Section of Hospital Epidemiology, St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, St. Paul, Minnesota Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Laura Crossley
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, St. Paul, Minnesota Section of Hospital Epidemiology, St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, St. Paul, Minnesota Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
*
St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, 640 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101
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Abstract

Review of necropsy reports for evidence of undiagnosed antemortem infection is included by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals as an element of an effective hospital infection control program. We reviewed records of 155 patients autopsied at St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center between January 1, 1980 and March 31, 1981. In 13 patients (8%), there was a discrepancy between documentation of infection during the patient's hospitalization and at autopsy. However, in none of these cases was this information useful in our infection control program. We doubt the effectiveness of necropsy review as a tool for nosocomial infection control.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 4 , Issue 1 , February 1983 , pp. 29 - 30
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1983

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References

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