title: Basics of surgical-site infection surveillance.
abstract: Surgical-site infections, the third most common class of nosocomial infections, cause substantial morbidity and mortality and increase hospital costs. Surveillance programs can lead to reductions in surgical-site infection rates of 35% to 50%. Herein, we will discuss the practical aspects of implementing a hospital-based surveillance program for surgical-site infections. We will review surveillance methods, patient populations that should be screened, and interventions that could reduce infection rates.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Perl
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States