[Risk management from the hygienist's perspective]

Each year numerous patients acquire nosocomial infections in our hospitals, but the proportion of nosocomial infections that could potentially be prevented by infection control measures applied under routine working conditions remains unclear. Experts estimate that at least 20% of all nosocomial infections are likely to be avoidable. Various studies demonstrated that nosocomial infections can be significantly reduced by appropriate intervention methods in hospitals that are interested in quality management activities. However, continuous efforts are necessary to maintain these improvements. Also, hospitals must implement a wide range of policies designed to limit liability, some of which may only be marginally relevant to medical necessity. Persons working in the field of infection control therefore must have an understanding of both the medical and legal implications of their work, and those trained in the field of hospital epidemiology and infection control represent valuable support resources of today's hospitals.