[Nosocomial infection indicators].

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality and patient safety surveillance.
• Epidemiology of nosocomial infections.
• Public health and hospital hygiene.

Context:

• Nosocomial infection indicators are crucial for assessing healthcare quality and patient safety.
• Surveillance programs, including prevalence and incidence studies, are used to calculate these indicators.
• Spain has established two key surveillance systems: the EPINE prevalence study (since 1990) and the ENVIN-HELICS incidence study (since 1994).

Purpose:

• To present the nosocomial infection indicators obtained in 2007 from two Spanish surveillance programs.
• To provide reference standards for these indicators.
• To highlight the complementary nature of prevalence and incidence data in understanding hospital-acquired infections.

Summary:

• The EPINE study tracks 25 nosocomial infection indicators in general hospital patients.
• The ENVIN-HELICS study monitors nine intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired infection indicators in critical patients.
• Both studies have voluntary participation, which has grown over time, contributing to professional training and awareness.

Impact:

• These surveillance systems offer distinct perspectives on hospital-acquired infections, complementing each other.
• They have been instrumental in educating healthcare professionals and enhancing awareness of infection control and patient safety.
• The data provides benchmarks for evaluating and improving infection control practices in Spanish hospitals.