PMID: 30161110Aug 31, 2018Paper

Reduction in surgical site infections in the Southern Cross Hospitals network, 2004-2015: successful outcome of a long-term surveillance and quality improvement project

The New Zealand Medical Journal
Arthur J MorrisMuriel McIntyre

Abstract

To report on the reduction in the surgical site infection (SSI) rate in the Southern Cross Hospitals network over a 12-year period, 2004-2015, following active surveillance and quality improvement actions. Ten hospitals in the network performed prospective SSI surveillance using standard definitions across a range of ten surgical procedure groups. Data was manually collected on a standardised form and entered into a bespoke database. Information collected included timing and dose of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis, type of surgical site skin preparation used, and patient information on smoking, diabetes and body mass index (BMI). Patients were contacted 30 days after their elective surgery to detect SSIs presenting after discharge from hospital. Surveillance results were widely reported to infection control and clinical review committees. Quality improvement activities to increase use of best practice interventions for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis and alcohol-based skin preparations were initiated during the surveillance period. 42,792 procedures performed in ten hospitals were analysed. There were 932 (2.2%) SSIs. The SSI rate decreased from 3.5% in 2004 to 1.2% in 2015, r-0.865, p=<0.0001, a decrease of 59%, approximately ...Continue Reading

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