A recent conference hosted by 3M Health Care discussed techniques being employed to help improve patient safety by reducing the risk of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia and preventable healthcare associated infections.
Around 50 healthcare professionals, mainly consultant anaesthetists, recently attended an expert conference, hosted by 3M Health Care, to discuss techniques that are being employed to help improve patient safety by reducing the risk of inadvertent perioperative hypothermia and preventable healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). SUZANNE CALLANDER reports.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) /Health Protection Agency (HPA) Point Prevalence Survey in 2012, SSIs account for 15.7% of HCAIs, third only to pneumonia at 22.8% and UTIs at 17.2%. The same survey identified that at any one time, 8% of patients will have an HCAI and 5% of surgical patients will have an SSI.
According to Kirkland1 patients with an SSI are five times more likely to be readmitted to hospital and are twice as likely to die. The 1999 report concluded that programmes to reduce the incidence of SSI can substantially decrease morbidity and mortality and reduce the economic burden for patients and hospitals. In 2005 Coello found that patients who contracted an SSI would have double the length of hospital of those without one.2
Log in or register FREE to read the rest
This story is Premium Content and is only available to registered users. Please log in at the top of the page to view the full text.
If you don't already have an account, please register with us completely free of charge.
