Respiratory Isolation of Tuberculosis Patients Using Clinical Guidelines and an Automated Clinical Decision Support System

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate a clinical guideline and an automated computer protocol for detection and respiratory isolation of tuberculosis (TB) patients. Design: An automated computer protocol was tested on a retrospective cohort of adult culture-positive TB patients admitted from 1992 to 1993 to Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and evaluated prospectively from July 1995 until July 1996. Setting: A large teaching hospital in New York City. Patients: 171 adult patients admitted from 1992 to 1993 and 43 patients admitted between July 1995 and July 1996. Interventions: The 1990 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for preventing transmission of TB were adapted to formulate clinical guidelines to ensure early isolation of TB patients at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. Results: Implementation of a clinical respiratory isolation protocol resulted in a significant improvement in TB patient isolation rates, from 45 (51%) of 88 in 1992 to 62 (75%) of 83 in 1993 (P

This publication has 26 references indexed in Scilit: