Blood culture contamination rates have been a major source of waste and unnecessary hospitalization for patients. Even some of the most experienced and competent phlebotomists have had contaminated blood cultures. Contaminated blood cultures ultimately result in unnecessary antibiotic use, increased length of stay in the hospital, and unnecessary laboratory testing for the patient. Hospitals have been tracking for years blood culture contamination rates as well as ways to reduce episodes of such contaminations.
The introduction of new tools, such as the Steripath Initial Specimen Diversion Device (ISDD), is showing promising results in the reduction of blood culture contamination rates in the United States.
ISDD is a device manufactured by Magnolia Medical Technologies of Seattle, Washington. The device diverts the first 1.5 to 2.0 mL (usually the volume that contains the contaminants) of blood into a separate chamber, isolating it from the rest of the specimen, then automatically opens a new sterile pathway to the blood collection bottles.
Several studies performed by different hospitals have proven that the ISDD can constantly reduce blood culture contamination rates to below 1%, saving the patients and the hospitals millions of dollars in unnecessary hospitalization and antibiotic treatment.
