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):
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- 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:
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- 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.
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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
