Ten years of KISS: the most important requirements for success.
Ten years ago, in January 1997, data collection for the German national nosocomial infection surveillance system was established, which is known by the acronym KISS (Krankenhaus-Infektions-Surveillance-System). Meanwhile KISS was able to demonstrate a beneficial effect from ongoing surveillance activities and appropriate feedback to the users in combination with reference data for ventilator associated pneumonia, primary bloodstream infections and surgical site infections. Significant reductions of infection rates between 20-30% over 3 years periods in the components for intensive care units, operative departments and neonatal intensive care units were demonstrated. Due to our experience the following requirements have to be fulfilled to keep a surveillance system successful over longer periods: close contact between the participating institutions, consideration of new developments, timely regular data feedback and constant reevaluation of the way of data presentation, data validity and demonstration of its contribution to the reduction of healthcare associated infections (HAI). The article describes in more detail how KISS tries to fulfill these requirements.
Gastmeier
Petra
P
Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, Charité-University Medicine in Berlin, Germany. petra.gastmeier@charite.de
Sohr
Dorit
D
Schwab
Frank
F
Behnke
Michael
M
Zuschneid
Irina
I
Brandt
Christian
C
Dettenkofer
Markus
M
Chaberny
Iris F
IF
Rüden
Henning
H
Geffers
Christine
C
D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012308:Risk Management / Q000379:methods*