APIC’s study examined 241 acute-care hospitals in California and looked at the relationship between hospital use of automated surveillance technologies and implementation of evidence-based infection control practices.
The final results showed that hospitals that relied on computer technology to detect HAIs (currently one-third of hospitals in the state) were able to better apply evidence-based prevention practices to help reduce infections, such as MRSA infection and ventilator-associated pneumonia, more than those that implemented manual practices.
Automated surveillance technologies or data mining systems are computerized systems designed to collect infection data, thereby allowing infection preventionists to better protect patients by identifying and investigating potential clusters of HAIs in real time. Electronic surveillance streamlines the review and collection of infection data, provides a larger amount of information than manual methods and reduces staff time spent on surveillance and clerical tasks, allowing infection preventionists to devote more time to activities that protect patients.
Read the APIC release on automated infection prevention technology.
Read other Becker’s coverage on HAIs.
Report Finds Drop in Pennsylvania Hospital Infections
