Epidemiology of Healthcare-Associated Infections in Australia

Endorsed by the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC)

ACIPC is the peak body for infection prevention and control professionals in the Australasian region.

Healthcare-associated Infections (HAIs) are a major threat to patient safety and the quality of healthcare globally. Despite this, Australia does not have a nationally coordinated program for the surveillance and reporting of HAIs. Epidemiology of Healthcare-associated Infections in Australia is Australia's first peer-reviewed, evidence-based assessment of the epidemiology of HAIs using publicly available data from hospital-acquired complications (HACs), state-based surveillance systems and peer-reviewed and grey literature sources.

This important work has been compiled by some of Australia's leading infection control professionals and researchers. It will build national consensus on definitions, surveillance methodology and reporting of the incidence of HAIs. In doing so, it provides hospitals and those working in infection prevention and control an opportunity to benchmark and evaluate interventions to reduce infections and ensure transparency on reporting methods that will strengthen Australia's efforts to prevent and control HAIs.

Here is a great article published in Sydney Morning Herald on the publication of Epidemiology of Healthcare-associated infections in Australia.