Reducing the Blood Culture Contamination Rate in a Pediatric Emergency Department and Subsequent Cost Savings

• Introduced a standardized sterile collection process to reduce peripheral blood culture contamination rate and unnecessary use of resources.
• The peripheral blood culture contamination rate was reduced from 3.9% during the baseline period to 1.6% during the intervention period.
• There was a yearly estimated savings of ~$250,000 in hospital charges.

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