[Introduction of an infection registration program for surgical wound infection based on the WHOCARE software of WHO]

Surveillance of surgical wound-infection (SWI) is an important instrument in the internal and external quality control in surgery. In the past it has been shown that statistics on surgical wound infection are helpful for reduction of wound infection rates. With the engagement of nurses for clinical hygiene at our hospital we had the possibility to evaluate programs for surveillance of nosocomial infection. In a pilot study we began with the surveillance of SWI. The set of data registered was defined by WHOCARE, the software-package used in the study which is distributed by the WHO Europe. Criteria of the NNIS-Study for SWI were applied. Between March and December 1992 approximately 1.300 surgical interventions had been registered. Although the dataset in WHOCARE is limited with regard to an easy surveillance, it was possible to find out infection rates dependent on all major parameters. Additionally reports on individual infection rates and tables containing information of infected cases were sent to every surgeon. By analyzing some of the problems detected during the study, we developed an improved protocol for routine surveillance of SWI. In the future it will save time and will allow the best quality of collected data in narrow collaboration between the departments of microbiology, clinical hygiene and surgery. This protocol should be transferable to other hospitals and represents an anticipated precautious measure with regard to legal regulations on quality control in medicine.