ECDC point prevalence survey (PPS) of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and antimicrobial use (AU) in acute care hospitals is a surveillance based on a prevalence methodology that has the following objectives:

1. to estimate the total burden (prevalence) of HAI and antimicrobial use (AU) in acute care hospitals in the European Union;

2. to describe patients, invasive procedures, infections (sites, microorganisms including markers for antimicrobial resistance) and prescribed antimicrobials (compounds, indications):

• • by type of patients, medical specialty or type of healthcare facility;
  • by country, following adjustment or stratification;

3. to disseminate results to those who need to know at local, regional, national and EU level in order:

• • To raise awareness about HAI and antimicrobial use in acute care hospitals;
  • To train and reinforce surveillance structures and skills;
  • To identify common EU problems and set up priorities accordingly;
  • To evaluate the effect of strategies and guide policies for future action at the local, regional and national level (through repeated EU point prevalence surveys);

4. to provide a standardised tool for hospitals to identify targets for quality improvement.

It provides a protocol “Point prevalence survey of healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals” for a standardized methodology.

_____ 

Link to European IC/HH Core Competencies

Area 3. Surveillance and investigation of healthcare associated infection (HAI)

References

http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/0512-TED-PPS-HAI-antimicrobial-use-protocol.pdf

http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/activities/surveillance/HAI/about_HAI-Net/Pages/PPS.aspx