The state of infection surveillance and control in Canadian acute care hospitals.
BACKGROUND
Nosocomial infections and antibiotic-resistant pathogens cause significant morbidity, mortality, and economic costs. The infection surveillance and control resources and activities in Canadian acute care hospitals had not been assessed in 20 years.


METHODS
In 2000, surveys were mailed to infection control programs in all Canadian hospitals with more than 80 acute care beds. The survey was modeled after the US Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control instrument, with new items dealing with resistant pathogens and computerization. Surveillance and control indices were calculated.


RESULTS
One hundred seventy-two of 238 (72.3%) hospitals responded. In 42.1% of hospitals, there was fewer than 1 infection control practitioner per 250 beds. Just 60% of infection control programs had physicians or doctoral professionals with infection control training who provided services. The median surveillance index was 65.6/100, and the median control index was 60.5/100. Surgical site infection rates were reported to individual surgeons in only 36.8% of hospitals.


CONCLUSIONS
There were deficits in the identified components of effective infection control programs. Greater investment in resources is needed to meet recommended standards and thereby reduce morbidity, mortality, and expense associated with nosocomial infections and antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Zoutman
Dick E
DE
Department of Pathology, Queen's University and Infection Control Service, Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Ford
B Douglas
BD
Bryce
Elizabeth
E
Gourdeau
Marie
M
Hébert
Ginette
G
Henderson
Elizabeth
E
Paton
Shirley
S
D000208:Acute Disease; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003625:Data Collection; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016134:Organizational Policy; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance