Administrative coding methods impact surgical site infection rates

Mohammed A Alsuhaibani; Mohammed A Alzunitan; Kyle E Jenn; Michael B Edmond; Angelique M Dains; Stephanie A Holley; Mary E Kukla; Oluchi J Abosi; Holly M Meacham; Daniel J Diekema; Jorge L Salinas

doi:10.1017/ice.2020.340

Administrative coding methods impact surgical site infection rates

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2020 Dec;41(12):1461-1463. doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.340. Epub 2020 Aug 10.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, United States.
² Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Infection Prevention and Control, King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

PMID: 32772952
DOI: 10.1017/ice.2020.340

Abstract

We performed a retrospective analysis of the impact of using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision procedure coding system (ICD-10) or current procedural terminology (CPT) codes to calculate surgical site infection (SSI) rates. Denominators and SSI rates vary depending on the coding method used. The coding method used may influence interhospital performance comparisons.

MeSH terms

Current Procedural Terminology*
Humans
International Classification of Diseases
Retrospective Studies
Surgical Wound Infection* / epidemiology