Reducing harm to patients from healthcare associated infection: the role of surveillance

The Commission is inviting comment on the Reducing harm to patients from healthcare associated infection: the role of surveillance.

A focus of the work of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality on Health Care (ACSQHC) is on areas of the health system where current and complex problems or community concerns could benefit from urgent national consideration and action. The healthcare associated infection program, nominated as one of the priority areas for 2007/10, aims to develop a national approach to reducing health care associated infection by identifying and addressing systemic problems and gaps, and ensuring comprehensive actions are undertaken in a nationally coordinated way by leaders, decision makers in both public and private health sectors.

As the first of several initiatives, this report seeks to explore options for surveillance systems to monitor health care associated infection and provide timely feedback to jurisdictions, managers and clinicians. The result is an evidence-based and authoritative analysis that can promote stronger linkages between other health data systems and with policy makers, and to ensure that the messages derived from surveillance data can be turned into public health action for better health outcomes.

This report was compiled by 51 experts from across Australia and provides an overview of current healthcare associated infections issues and surveillance initiatives in Australia, and a review of international and Australian surveillance literature. This report provides a comprehensive picture of the surveillance of HAI in Australia, demonstrates the costs that these infections impose upon individual Australians and the health system.

Each chapter includes recommendations and a summary of key points based on the material presented. We greatly appreciate your comments and your assistance in helping us ensure that this strategy is of value to those receiving health services and those working in the field.

A copy of Reducing harm to patients from healthcare associated infection: the role of surveillance and a copy of the key working document to assist with your submission is available for download:

Download the report as a single file:

• Reducing harm to patients from healthcare associated infection: the role of surveillance (PDF 2841 KB)

• Contents, preface and summary (PDF 561 KB)
• Part A - Overview (PDF 632 KB)
• Part B - Specific infection sites or populations (PDF 1157 KB)
• Part C - Specific organisms (PDF 1047 KB)
• Part D - Specific locations in hospital or community (PDF 849 KB)
• Part E - Preventative measures (PDF 600 KB)
• Part F - Human and economic costs (PDF 752 KB)
• Appendixes and contributors (PDF 917 KB)

Key working paper regarding surveillance document

• Working paper on the 'Reducing harm to patients from healthcare associated infection: the role of surveillance' paper (PDF 84 KB)