Emerg Infect DiseidEmerging Infectious Diseases1080-60401080-6059Centers for Disease Control112947092631728Research ArticleAutomated methods for surveillance of surgical site infections.PlattR.richard.platt@channing.harvard.eduYokoeD. S.SandsK. E.Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.Mar-Apr200172212216

Automated data, especially from pharmacy and administrative claims, are available for much of the U.S. population and might substantially improve both inpatient and postdischarge surveillance for surgical site infections complicating selected procedures, while reducing the resources required. Potential improvements include better sensitivity, less susceptibility to interobserver variation, more uniform availability of data, more precise estimates of infection rates, and better adjustment for patients' coexisting illness.