Multicentred surgical site infection surveillance using partitioning analysis.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Infectious Disease Control
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Surgical site infection (SSI) poses a significant global health challenge, increasing healthcare expenditures.
• A national priority in Japan is developing methods for continuous SSI data collection, analysis, and integration into clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement an intervention study using operations research and multi-facility partitioning to decrease SSI incidence and impact.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a data-driven feedback system in reducing surgical site infections.

Main Methods:

• The Setouchi SSI Surveillance Group conducted surveillance across seven institutes from 2006 to 2008.
• Data from 3089 gastrointestinal surgery patients were analyzed, evaluating 26 potential SSI-related factors.
• Top factors identified in each surveillance period informed practice improvements for subsequent periods.

Main Results:

• Overall SSI occurrence decreased from 6.9% in period A to 3.9% in period D.
• A statistically significant reduction in SSI occurrence was observed between periods A and D (P=0.012).

Conclusions:

• Active SSI surveillance combined with partitioning analysis effectively informed clinical practice improvements.
• This approach significantly reduced surgical site infection rates, demonstrating its clinical utility.