Impact of an Algorithm to Triage Patients Discharged From the Emergency Department With Blood Cultures Positive for Staphylococcus aureus or Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Blood cultures obtained in the emergency department (ED) may become positive after discharge. Healthcare professionals must determine if these results represent true infection or a likely contaminant. An institutional algorithm was developed to assist with healthcare professional response to positive blood cultures for S. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) in these situations.

Methods

We conducted a single system, multisite cohort study comparing before and after implementation of an ED decision-making algorithm from November 2022 to December 2023. Adults were included if they were discharged from the ED before blood cultures became positive for Staphylococcus species. The primary outcome was the difference in rates of patients called

SUBMITTER: Mackowiak A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11852945 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature