Measuring and Monitoring Healthcare-Associated Infections: A Canadian Collaboration to Better Understand the Magnitude of the Problem

Abstract

Patients should never have to worry about getting an infection while in hospital.Yet every year, many hospitalized Canadians continue to acquire an infection during their hospital stay and experience increased morbidity and mortality as a result of these healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) (PHAC 2019b). Measuring and monitoring HAIs provide key data to better understand the magnitude of the problem. In Canada, there are inconsistencies in the use of standardized HAI case defini- tions and surveillance practices.These inconsistencies make it difficult to provide benchmarks and set targets to help reduce the rate of HAIs in Canadian hospitals.