Initiatives for improvement in blood culture microbiological protocol (pre-analytical) as a part of quality indicator of sepsis management at u.n. mehta institute of cardiology and research centre

World-wide, blood culture contamination poses a serious problem, when microorganism of questionable significance such as coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Bacillus spp., viridians group Streptococcus, Corynebacterium spp., Propionibacterium spp. and Micrococcus spp. are isolated, making correct interpretation of pathogenicity vs. contamination challenging for a clinical microbiologist and the clinician; and create a confusion and frustration. Blood culture contamination ranging from 0.6% to 17% of total blood culture performed. Estimated additional costs per contaminated blood culture in adults were $1,000 to $8,000 with an annual burden of $2,000,000 and the increased length of stay from 1 to 5.4 days. On the other hand, lowering blood culture contamination rates lead to annual cost savings ranging from $250,000 to $4,100,000. To reduce the blood culture contamination, we prepared a QI team. After baseline measurement, we incorporated the corrective actions, like Preparation and application of Institute-based Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), availability of adequate resources such as provision of standard blood culture collection kit, proper periodic training the Blood culture contamination rate reduced from 1.7 to 0.6 average. Shows the successful Improvement in Blood Culture Microbiological Protocol