Monitoring healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use at regional level through repeated point prevalence surveys: what can be learnt?

Summary Background Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) surveillance is an essential part of any infection prevention and control programme. Repeated point prevalence surveys (PPS) according to ECDC protocol have been implemented in all Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region (Italy) acute hospitals to reduce and control HAIs. Aim Using the repeated PPS within a regional healthcare system (RHS) to promote and evaluate infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes. Methods The standard versions of the ECDC PPS protocols were used in all four surveys (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017). All RHS public and private accredited hospitals were involved within the “safe care network” programme. Findings Surveyed patients in the four PPSs were 3,172, 3,253, 2,969 and 3,036 respectively. Prevalence of HAIs and antimicrobial use (AU) decreased significantly from 2011: HAIs (P Conclusion The FVG regional approach to HAIs and AU surveillance was able to contribute toreduced prevalence over a seven year period. Furthermore, it was able to keep hospital attention to HAIs and AU through the years and to guarantee a standardised and comparable evaluation of HAIs and AU burden in all RHS hospitals as well as impacting on HAIs and AU regional programmes.