Chapter 14: Monitoring for Surgical Infection (Surveillance)

Question 1

Define surveillance:

Answer 1

The ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of data regarding a health-related event

Question 2

What factors need to be considered when creating a surveillance program?

Answer 2

• Patient population
• The hospital
• Personnel
• Current infrastructure
• Risk aversion
• Clear objectives

Question 3

What are the basic requirements for passive surveillance?

Answer 3

• Standard SSI definition
• Clear reporting
• Searchable record system
• Complete medical record database
• Retrievable culture results

Question 4

What are the three forms of surveillance systems?

Answer 4

• Passive - Using data already in the records
• Active - highest quality data, usually performed in the face of an outbreak
• Syndromic - analyzing certain clinical signs - lack of specificity