Interpretative reporting and selective antimicrobial susceptibility release in non-critical microbiology results

The action taken in response to 169 positive sputum, urine and wound cultur e reports was examined. All reports included interpretative comments. Antim icrobial susceptibilities were released in 29 (17%), Therapy was significan tly more likely to be started or, altered in response to reports where susc eptibilities were released (13 of 29, 45%) versus those without susceptibil ity release (31 of 140, 22%), Susceptibility release did not influence the appropriateness of antibiotic therapy, The clinical microbiology team was c ontacted for therapeutic advice in response to 32 (19%) reports, Of the rem aining 137 reports, therapy was started or altered in response to 30 (22%) reports, but was considered appropriate in only seven (22%) of these.