Surveillance of healthcare-associated infections in France: a key component of national programs.

Since 1995, France has had a national program for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections led by the Ministry of Health. Establishing a surveillance system and fostering a culture of prevention have been key strategic components of successive programs. The result of a partnership between the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance and the five Coordination Centers for the Fight Against Healthcare-Associated Infections, RAISIN (Network for Alert and Investigation of Healthcare-Associated Infections) played a central role in structuring this system in the 2000s. Overall, the incidence of nosocomial infections, as measured by five-year prevalence surveys, has decreased significantly. The specific program targets—MRSA infections and surgical site infections—have been met thanks to a surveillance system supported by operational hygiene teams effectively integrated into the core of the healthcare system. The implementation of a nosocomial infection dashboard and public performance reporting, combined with quantified objectives, has contributed to these positive results. The goals of the 2009–2013 program, which has just begun, are to further embed network-based surveillance while integrating other approaches to infection risk management. (R.A.)

Author(s): Parneix P

Publishing year: 2011

Pages: 184-7

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2011, n° 15-16-17, p. 184-7

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