Pag 12 y 13 Report form the Commission to the Council. PATIENT SAFETY AND HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS. June 2014.
8. Conclusions
Healthcare-associated infections
By leading to the adoption of a general and specific case definition for HAI and providing a standardised methodology and framework for the national surveillance of HAI, EU-level action contributed to strengthening HAI surveillance systems in the EU.
In particular, the ECDC’s Europe-wide point prevalence survey of HAI and antimicrobial use in 2011-12 contributed to the improved collection of data on HAI, even in Member States that had not previously started with this activity.
The point prevalence report29 and the Commission’s first implementation report30 indicate that Member States should focus their efforts on ensuring the targeted surveillance of HAI in surgical site infections, intensive care units and nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
Further measures by Member States are needed to improve the routine case ascertainment of HAI, through the development of national diagnostic guidelines, continued training of healthcare workers in applying case definitions of HAI and the reinforcement of laboratory and other diagnostic capacity in healthcare institutions.
More specifically, the Europe-wide point prevalence survey – highlighted the need to ensure:
- adequate numbers of specialised infection control staff in hospitals and other healthcare institutions
- sufficient isolation capacity for patients infected with clinically relevant microorganisms in acute care hospitals
- standardised surveillance of alcohol hand rub consumption.
To further support Member States preventing and control healthcare-associated infections and in supporting the implementation of the Recommendation, both the Commission and ECDC have prioritised addressing HAI.31
Pag 12 y 13 Report form the Commission to the Council. PATIENT SAFETY AND HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS. June 2014.
29 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC); Point prevalence survey of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals: 2011-12. Stockholm: ECDC: 2013.
30 Report from the Commission to the Council on the basis of Member States’ reports on the implementation of
the Council recommendation (2009/C 151/01) on patient safety, including the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections (COM(2012) 658 final).
31 For example, ECDC will develop a repository of existing guidance and other documents, to foster the exchange of best practices and the development of such documents in settings where they do not yet exist.
Furthermore, ECDC will develop a monitoring and evaluation system with a set of indicators to assess the implementation of national strategies/action plan and their success in improving prevention and control of
HAI.