Hospital-Wide Surveillance of Healthcare-Associated Infections as a Source of Information about Specific Hospital Needs. A 5-Year Observation in a Multiprofile Provincial Hospital in the South of Poland

Małgorzata Kołpa, Marta Wałaszek, Anna Różańska, Zdzisław Wolak and Jadwiga Wójkowska-Mach
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Małgorzata Kołpa: State Higher Vocational School in Tarnów, St. Luke’s Provincial Hospital in Tarnów, 33-100 Tarnów, Poland
Marta Wałaszek: State Higher Vocational School in Tarnów, St. Luke’s Provincial Hospital in Tarnów, 33-100 Tarnów, Poland
Anna Różańska: Department of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University, Polish Society of Hospital Infections, 31-121 Kraków, Poland
Zdzisław Wolak: State Higher Vocational School in Tarnów, St. Luke’s Provincial Hospital in Tarnów, 33-100 Tarnów, Poland
Jadwiga Wójkowska-Mach: Department of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University, Polish Society of Hospital Infections, 31-121 Kraków, Poland

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-10

Abstract: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are adverse complications of hospitalisation resulting in delayed recovery and increased costs. The aim of this study was an analysis of epidemiological factors obtained in the framework of constant, comprehensive (hospital-wide) infection registration, and identification of priorities and needs in infection control, both with regard to targeted surveillance, as well as preventative actions. The study was carried out according to the methodology recommended by the HAI-Net (Surveillance Network) coordinated by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, in the multiprofile hospital in Southern Poland, between 2012 and 2016. A total of 159,028 patients were under observation and 2184 HAIs were detected. The incidence was 1.4/100 admissions (2.7/1000 patient-das of hospitalisation) and significantly differed depending on the type of the patient care: in intensive care units (ICU) 16.9%; in surgical units, 1.3%; non-surgical units, 1.0%; and paediatric units, 1.8%. The most common HAI was gastrointestinal infections (GIs, 28.9%), followed by surgical site infections (SSIs, 23.0%) and bloodstream infections (BSIs, 16.1%). The vast majority of GIs, BSIs, urinary tract infections, and incidents of pneumonia (PN) were detected in non-ICUs. As many as 33.2% of cases of HAI were not confirmed microbiologically. The most frequently detected etiologic agent of infections was Clostridium difficile —globally and in GI (49%). Comprehensive analysis of the results allowed to identify important elements of surveillance of infections, i.e., surveillance of GI, PN, and BSI not only in ICU, but also in non-ICU wards, indicating a need for implementing rapid actions to improve compliance with HAI prevention procedures.

Keywords: hospital-acquired infections; surgical site infections; bloodstream infections; pneumonia; intensive care unit; neurosurgery; orthopaedics; Caesarean section; Clostridium difficile; rotavirus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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