Hostname: page-component-cb9f654ff-9knnw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-08-26T12:11:17.812Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Surgical Site Infection as a Surrogate Marker of Physician Impairment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Robert J. Sherertz  and
Tobi B. Karchmer
Robert J. Sherertz*
Affiliation:
Department of Infection Control, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Tobi B. Karchmer
Affiliation:
Department of Infection Control, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
*
Section on Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1042 (sherertz@wfubmc.edu)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Our report details an implant-associated outbreak of surgical site infections related to the adverse effects of treatment for hepatitis C virus infection administered to surgeon X. During the 12-month period of this outbreak, 14 (9.5%) of 148 of surgeon X's patients developed a surgical site infection, a rate of SSI that was 8-fold higher than the rate during the 14-month baseline period or the 14-month follow-up period (P = .001), and higher than the rate among peer surgeons (P = .02).

Information

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 30 , Issue 11 , November 2009 , pp. 1120 - 1122
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1.Hickson, GB, Federspiel, CF, Pichert, JW, Miller, CS, Gauld-Jaeger, J, Bost, P. Patient complaints and malpractice risk. JAMA 2002;287:2951–2957.Google Scholar
2.Murff, HJ, France, DJ, Blackford, J, et al.Relationship between patient complaints and surgical complications. Qual Saf Health Care 2006;15:13–16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Papadakis, MA, Teherani, A, Banach, MA, et al.Disciplinary action by medical boards and prior behavior in medical school. N Engl J Med 2005;353:2673–2682.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Leape, LL, Fromson, JA. Problem doctors: is there a system-level solution? Ann Intern Med 2006;144:107–115.Google Scholar
5.Morrison, J, Wickersham, P. Physicians disciplined by a state medical board. JAMA 1998;279:1889.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Peisah, C, Wilhelm, K. Physician don't heal thyself: a descriptive study of impaired older doctors. Int Psychogeriatr 2007;19:974–984.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.American Medical Association (AMA). Code of medical ethics. Opinion 9.031—reporting impaired, incompetent, or unethical colleagues. Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code-medical-ethics/opinion9031.shtml. Accessed September 22, 2009.Google Scholar
8.Dieperink, E, Willenbring, M, Ho, SB. Neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with hepatitis C and interferon alpha: a review. Am J Psychiatry 2000;157:867–876.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Baldisseri, MR. Impaired healthcare professional. Crit Care Med 2007;35(2 Suppl):S106–S116.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Brennan, TA. Physicians' professional responsibility to improve the quality of care. Acad Med 2002;77:973–980.Google Scholar