TranslateHealthcare associated infection surveillance
Our surveillance program focuses on infections that occur most often in healthcare settings and those that pose the greatest risk to patients. Other processes are monitored because they are important indicators of a range of infection prevention and control measures.
Accurate and reliable data is used to monitor and improve the quality and safety of patient care. It provides an objective measure of standard of infection control practices in hospitals.
To undertake this surveillance, we use information from microbiology laboratories, patient information systems and hospital infection control staff throughout Tasmania. Wherever possible, nationally agreed definitions are used to determine rates. In addition, surveillance data is validated before publication.
We have published several surveillance protocols to ensure systematic data collection and analysis.
Surveillance protocols
- Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA acquisition surveillance guidance
- Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection (SABSI) surveillance
- Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) surveillance
- Vancomycin resistant enterococcus surveillance
- Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) surveillance
Hand hygiene compliance auditing uses the Hand Hygiene Australia methodology outlined at Hand Hygiene Australia.
Antimicrobial use surveillance module for rural hospitals (AUTasRH)
Antimicrobial use data can provide usage patterns and can be important for supporting antimicrobial containment and education strategies.
The aims of the TIPCU antimicrobial use surveillance are to:
- Quantify antimicrobial use within Tasmanian rural hospitals over a defined audit period.
- Assess the appropriateness of antimicrobial usage within Tasmanian rural hospitals in accordance with Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic Guidelines.
This surveillance module uses a patient level antimicrobial data collection method, which gives accurate information about antimicrobial use within a facility. Data collected includes patient demographics, rationale for treatment, drug name, dosage, duration of therapy, microbiological testing and documentation.
This surveillance is done in Tasmanian rural hospitals for one calendar month per annum.
Reports
We publish quarterly Tasmanian public hospital healthcare associated infection surveillance reports, including an annual report at the end of each financial year.
If you would like a copy of the latest Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Surveillance Annual Report, please email [email protected]
