CLINICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF A STANDARDIZED BLOOD CULTURE COLLECTION BUNDLE ON CONTAMINATION RATES, UNNECESSARY ANTIBIOTIC USE, AND DIAGNOSTIC DELAYS

Background: Blood culture contamination undermines microbiological diagnosis and can initiate avoidable antimicrobial treatment and resource use. Objective: To critically synthesize evidence for standardized blood culture collection bundles, their clinical consequences, and their economic implications. Methods: Narrative synthesis of peer-reviewed guidance, systematic reviews, observational studies, and economic analyses; no primary data or original meta-analysis were conducted. Findings: Evidence-based laboratory guidelines support antisepsis, sterile technique, trained collectors, and selected diversion devices. Observational studies link contamination with longer antibiotic courses and hospital stays, but economic effect sizes are heterogeneous. Conclusions: A standardized bundle should be implemented with concurrent monitoring of contamination, specimen adequacy, clinical decisions, and costs. Local evaluation is necessary before claiming net savings.