SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Patterns in Urine Culture Collection in General Medicine Wards

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This retrospective chart review examined 100 urine cultures collected from patients on two general medicine wards at Mount Sinai Hospital between January 1 and March 31, 2021. The study assessed whether urine culture testing followed an institutional algorithm requiring urinary symptoms, and also reviewed reasons for testing, sepsis, culture results, and antibiotic treatment for UTI.<br /><br />The main finding was that the institutional algorithm was not followed in 61% of cases. In fewer than half of urine culture orders did patients have symptoms suggestive of a UTI. Instead, urine cultures were often ordered as part of fever or sepsis evaluations, even when urinary symptoms were absent. Notably, there were no documented cases of dysuria, urinary frequency, costovertebral angle tenderness, suprapubic pain, or hematuria among the reviewed cultures.<br /><br />Among patients with positive urine cultures, fewer than half received antibiotic treatment, suggesting that many cultures may have been ordered reflexively and did not substantially alter clinical management. The study highlights a common issue in inpatient medicine: urine cultures may be overused in patients without strong clinical suspicion for UTI, potentially identifying asymptomatic bacteriuria or colonization rather than true infection.<br /><br />The authors conclude that improving urine culture stewardship is important to reduce unnecessary testing, avoid overtreatment, and support quality improvement efforts in hospital medicine.

Asset Subtitle

Reem Aoun

Meta Tag

Author List Dorian Mendoza, Madeleine Basist, Masih Shinwa, Reem Aoun, Vinh-Tung P. Nguyen

Category Research

Concept Urinary Symptoms

Concept Urine Culture

Concept Hospitalized General Medical Inpatient

Concept Institutional Testing Algorithm

Concept Quality Improvement

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization The Mount Sinai Hospital

Presenting Author Reem Aoun

Track Quality Improvement

Keywords

urine culture

retrospective chart review

hospital medicine

urinary tract infection

asymptomatic bacteriuria

antibiotic stewardship

clinical algorithm

sepsis evaluation

inpatient wards

quality improvement

Urinary Symptoms

Urine Culture

Hospitalized General Medical Inpatient

Institutional Testing Algorithm

Quality Improvement