Meeting national recommendations for surgical site infection surveillance: examples and lessons from the Victorian Healthcare-associated Infection Surveillance System

In 2008, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care released a report summarising key points and recommendations on the role of surveillance for a range of healthcare-associated infections, including surgical site infections. The Victorian Healthcare-associated Infection Surveillance System (VICNISS) commenced a statewide surveillance strategy in 2002. Components of this strategy are consistent with national priorities. For this and similar programs to be successful there is a need for surgical site infections to be recognised as a key measure of hospital performance. Measures for risk reduction and prevention of surgical site infections can then be planned and implemented.