The Nature of an Infectious Disease Practice in a Community Hospital

Populations of patients in community and university-affiliated teaching hospitals differ, and therefore, problems encountered by infectious disease specialists in these two types of hospitals also differ. However, most infectious disease specialists are trained only in university hospitals. In order...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Reviews of infectious diseases 1983-11, Vol.5 (6), p.1049-1060
Main Authors: TANNER, M. H, HALE, D. C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Arthritis
Arthritis, Infectious - diagnosis
Bacteremia
Biological and medical sciences
Central Nervous System Diseases - diagnosis
Communicable Diseases - diagnosis
Community hospitals
Diarrhea
Diarrhea - etiology
Enterobacteriaceae Infections - diagnosis
Fever
Fever - etiology
General aspects
Hospitals, Community
Human infectious diseases. Experimental studies and models
Humans
Infections
Infectious diseases
Medical referrals
Medical sciences
Medicine
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis - diagnosis
Pain - etiology
Respiratory Tract Infections - diagnosis
Review Articles
Sepsis - diagnosis
Skin Diseases, Infectious - diagnosis
Specialization
Staphylococcal Infections - diagnosis
Streptococcal Infections - diagnosis
Teaching hospitals
Urinary Tract Infections - diagnosis
Wound Infection - diagnosis
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Summary:Populations of patients in community and university-affiliated teaching hospitals differ, and therefore, problems encountered by infectious disease specialists in these two types of hospitals also differ. However, most infectious disease specialists are trained only in university hospitals. In order to characterize the nature of an infectious disease practice in a community hospital, the authors report data for the patients seen during a period of three years (July 1978-June 1981). Most of the 1,238 cases were referred by other physicians. General practitioners referred 35% of the cases, whereas internists, orthopedists, and surgeons referred 20%, 16%, and 10% respectively. Skin and wound infections accounted for the largest percentage of referrals (16%). Fever accounted for 9%, abdominal problems for 6%, and respiratory infections for 6%. Other problems referred to the infectious disease service included infections of the central nervous system, urinary tract infections, osteomyelitis, and arthritis.
ISSN:0162-0886