?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F35569%2F&rft.title=Improving+the+duration+of+airborne+isolation+for+suspected+pulmonary+tuberculosis%3A+cost-effectiveness+analysis&rft.creator=Lin%2C+Li&rft.description=Background%3A+Airborne+isolation+(AI)+is+an+effective+way+to+prevent+the+spread+of+tuberculosis+(TB).+When+healthcare+facilities+are+faced+with+patients+with+suspected+pulmonary+TB%2C+they+place+patients+in+AI+and+order+at+least+3+specimens+for+acid-fast+bacilli+(AFB)+smears+and+culture.+The+specimens+are+collected+8-24+hours+apart+with+at+least+one+morning+specimen.+When+3+consecutive+specimens+are+negative+on+smears+or+another+diagnosis+is+made%2C+AI+is+discontinued.+However%2C+there+is+a+significant+delay+in+discontinuation+of+AI.+Effective+strategies+are+needed+to+shorten+the+duration+in+AI.%0D%0APublic+Health+Significance%3A+Delayed+deisolation+is+associated+with+significant+avoidable+cost+for+the+hospitals+and+patients+without+health+insurance+and+related+with+preventable+negative+health+effects+on+patients+over-isolated.%0D%0AAims%3A+The+objective+is+to+evaluate+current+practice+of+AI+and+improve+the+efficiency+of+deisolation+for+patients+without+contagious+TB.%0D%0AMethod%3A+Demographic+and+clinical+information+was+reviewed+from+Jan+2015+to+Dec+2017+at+a+495-bed+university-affiliated+medical+center.+Cost-effectiveness+analysis+was+performed+to+compare+isolation+with+no+isolation.+TreeAge+Pro+2018+Software+was+used+to+build+a+decision+tree+and+make+a+sensitivity+analysis.+%0D%0AResult%3A+The+positive+rate+of+respiratory+specimens+is+6.3%25.+93+patients+had+contagious+TB+excluded+successfully+with+3+consecutive+negative+AFB+smears.+AI+is+always+cost-effective+than+no+isolation+despite+the+variation+of+its+effectiveness.+The+average+LOS+in+AI+is+4.8+days.+If+LOS+can+be+reduced+to+2+days%2C+the+cost+saving+is+%243%2C122+per+patient.+The+total+cost+saving+for+93+patients+is+%24290%2C160.%0D%0AConclusion%3A+This+study+shows+a+significant+delay+in+deisolation+for+patients+without+contagious+TB.+More+effective+measures+are+needed+to+rule+out+TB+timely.+Improved+efficiency+in+deisolation+can+contribute+to+a+significant+cost+saving.+Cost-effectiveness+analysis+will+be+a+powerful+aid+to+decision+making+that+could+engage+hospital+administration+to+improve+the+efficiency+of+deisolation.&rft.date=2019-01-30&rft.type=University+of+Pittsburgh+ETD&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F35569%2F1%2FLinLi_MPHthesis_Dec2018%2520.docx.pdf&rft.identifier=++Lin%2C+Li++(2019)+Improving+the+duration+of+airborne+isolation+for+suspected+pulmonary+tuberculosis%3A+cost-effectiveness+analysis.++Master's+Thesis%2C+University+of+Pittsburgh.++++(Unpublished)++