Diagnosing SSIs with photography

Editor's Note

The addition of patient-generated wound photographs to existing data significantly improved diagnostic accuracy of surgical site infections (SSIs) and prevented overtreatment in this study.

When photographs were added, overall diagnostic accuracy improved from 67% to 76%, and specificity increased from 77% to 92%, but sensitivity did not significantly increase (55% to 65%).

Photographs increased mean confidence in diagnosis from 5.9/10 to 7.4/10. Overtreatment decreased from 48% to 18%, and undertreatment did not change (28% to 23%).

Postdischarge mobile health technologies have the potential to facilitate patient centered care, decrease costs, and improve clinical outcomes, the authors say. 

Providers with expertise in managing surgical site infections (SSI) were presented with a range of patient scenarios via web-based survey, first without and then with accompanying wound photographs. Photos improved overall accuracy of SSI diagnosis from 67% to 76%, increased diagnostic confidence from 5.9/10 to 7.4/10, and decreased overtreatment from 48% to 16%.