At any given time, one in ten Canadian patients presents with a healthcare-associated infection (HAI), which translates into more than 260,000 infections every year and over 10,000 deaths. Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most common and costly nosocomial infection, accounting for 38% of total HAIs and contributing 33.7% (CAD$600 million) to the overall economic burden of HAIs. Invasive devices such as catheters and implanted foreign bodies (e.g. orthopaedic hardware, cerebrospinal fluid shunts, gastrostomy tubes and cochlear implants) represent recognized risk factors for the development of SSIs. Infection of surgical implants carry severe adverse consequences to the patient, including increased pain, recurrent surgeries, prolonged or repeated hospitalizations, and sometimes permanent disability or death.
This project gathers retrospective data on a broad spectrum of surgical specialties within ACH to determine baseline infection rates. The information will serve as a starting point for the development of updated and novel care pathways for the prevention of surgical infections.