title: Introduction of software tools for epidemiological surveillance in infection control in Colombia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) are a challenge for patient safety in the hospitals. Infection control committees (ICC) should follow CDC definitions when monitoring HAI. The handmade method of epidemiological surveillance (ES) may affect the sensitivity and specificity of the monitoring system, while electronic surveillance can improve the performance, quality and traceability of recorded information.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the implementation of a strategy for electronic surveillance of HAI, Bacterial Resistance and Antimicrobial Consumption by the ICC of 23 high-complexity clinics and hospitals in Colombia, during the period 2012-2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study evaluating the introduction of electronic tools in the ICC was performed; we evaluated the structure and operation of the ICC, the degree of incorporation of the software HAI Solutions and the adherence to record the required information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight percent of hospitals (8/23) had active surveillance strategies with standard criteria of the CDC, and 87% of institutions adhered to the module of identification of cases using the HAI Solutions software. In contrast, compliance with the diligence of the risk factors for device-associated HAIs was 33%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The introduction of ES could achieve greater adherence to a model of active surveillance, standardized and prospective, helping to improve the validity and quality of the recorded information.
authors: Unidad de Resistencia Bacteriana y Epidemiología Hospitalaria, Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM), Cali, Colombia.
authors: Cristhian
authors: C
authors: Hernández-Gómez
authors: Unidad de Resistencia Bacteriana y Epidemiología Hospitalaria, Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM), Cali, Colombia.
authors: Gabriel
authors: G
authors: Motoa
authors: Unidad de Resistencia Bacteriana y Epidemiología Hospitalaria, Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM), Cali, Colombia ; Departamento de Investigaciones, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Vallejo
authors: Unidad de Resistencia Bacteriana y Epidemiología Hospitalaria, Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM), Cali, Colombia.
authors: Víctor M
authors: VM
authors: Blanco
authors: Unidad de Resistencia Bacteriana y Epidemiología Hospitalaria, Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM), Cali, Colombia.
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Correa
authors: Unidad de Resistencia Bacteriana y Epidemiología Hospitalaria, Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM), Cali, Colombia.
authors: Elsa
authors: E
authors: de la Cadena
authors: Unidad de Resistencia Bacteriana y Epidemiología Hospitalaria, Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM), Cali, Colombia.
authors: María Virginia
authors: MV
authors: Villegas
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents
keywords: Colombia; Cross infection; drug resistance; epidemiological monitoring; health care; microbial; quality assurance; software