Rebecca McCann1,2
1, 2 Infection Prevention Policy and Surveillance Unit, Communicable Disease Control Directorate, Department of Health, Western Australia, 189 Royal St., East Perth, WA
Abstract:
The Western Australian healthcare infection surveillance (HISWA) program was born in 2005 from a voluntary collaboration of like-minded individuals who believed in the need to collect data to promote change. From those early days HISWA has evolved to be a well-established and respected program within the WA Health system and participation is mandatory for the majority of indicators for all our public hospitals and those private hospitals who are contracted to provide care for public hospitals (contracted health entities). The majority of our other private hospitals providing inpatient care submit data voluntarily.
HISWA collects data on four indicators relating to intravascular devices. These are central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) for adult ICU, haematology, oncology services and Staphylococcus aureus BSI (SABSI). The latter as you are all aware is a requirement under the Commonwealth Healthcare Agreement and is submitted to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on an annual basis.
Today I will share HISWA five-year trend data for CLABSI by the specialist units and then delve more deeply into our SABSI data with particular reference to peripheral intravenous cannula and how we are using data to improve patient outcomes.