Designing hospital infection studies.

: The design of investigations of hospital infections often will make a difference between results that are useful and results that only appear to be. The importance of study design and dimensions cannot be overemphasized. Much has been written about methods of research. Most universities and many large hospitals have persons trained in research design and analysis. The more that investigators of nosocomial infections talk with and collaborate with persons who have such training, the more accurate and more productive their research is likely to be.