Implementing a multidisciplinary care bundle to reduce colon surgical site infections

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate how rates of surgical site infections (SSI) were changed over 2 years after applying colon SSI bundle in patients who underwent colon surgery. METHODS: The multidisciplinary working group developed a care bundle consisting of 8 components, including several recommendations of Surgical Care Improvement Project and monitoring of medical/surgical hand washing. We implemented the care bundle for each patient who underwent colon surgery from April 2013 to December 2014. RESULTS: Overall bundle compliance was 87.9% before implementation, 88.2% in 2013, and 90.5% in 2014. In particular, compliance of the following 3 components was substantial improved during the project period; discontinuation of prophylactic antimicrobial agent within 24 hours of surgery (from 88.3% to 100%), surgical hand washing (from 50.0% to 78.9%), and medical hand washing (from 74.7% to 82.8%). The rate of SSI was 8.0% (12/150) during 3 months before implementation, 3.3% (16/480) from April to December in 2013, and 2.3% (14/607) in 2014. CONCLUSION: After implementation of multidisciplinary care bundle, the compliance of each component was increased and rates of SSIs were significantly decreased compared to those before the quality improvement project.