Society of General Internal Medicine
View all recommendations from this societyReleased September 12, 2013; Revised January 31, 2017; Revised November 30, 2022
Don’t place, or leave in place, peripherally inserted central catheters for patient or provider convenience.
Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are commonly used devices in medical practice that are associated with costly and potentially lethal healthcare-acquired complications, including central-line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Given the clinical and economic consequences of these complications, placement of PICCs should be limited to acceptable indications (e.g., long-term peripherally compatible infusions, non-peripherally compatible infusions, chemotherapy, palliative care, and frequent blood draws). PICCs should be promptly removed when indications for their use end.
These items are provided solely for informational purposes and are not intended as a substitute for consultation with a medical professional. Patients with any specific questions about the items on this list or their individual situation should consult their physician.
How The List Was Created
An ad hoc committee of the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) was impaneled, taking advantage of the clinical expertise of members from the Clinical Practice Committee and Evidence-Based Medicine Task Force within the Society. Members of the ad hoc committee were then solicited to determine possible topics for consideration. The topics chosen were selected to meet the goals of the Choosing Wisely campaign, utilizing the unique clinical perspective of members of the Society in ambulatory general medicine as well as hospital-based practice. The final topics were selected by a vote of committee members based on the strength of the existing evidence, the unique standing members of the Society have in addressing the clinical topics selected, as well as contributions the recommendations would make in terms of patient safety, quality and economic impact. The final recommendations were approved by the governing Council of SGIM.
For SGIM’s disclosure and conflict of interest policies, please visit www.sgim.org.
Sources
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Published 2018 Aug 28. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0202326 Pan M, Meng A, Yin R, et al. Nursing Interventions to Reduce Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Occlusion for Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review of Literature. Cancer Nurs. 2019;42(6):E49-E58. doi:10.1097/NCC.0000000000000664
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