SSI prevention: how can we strive for zero?

Clinical decision-makers are continuously forced to make tradeoffs. This includes limiting the use of new technologies that could benefit wider patient groups, despite proven clinical efficacy.

 As a result, new care pathways are required to ensure the rationalised use of new technology for specific patients and procedures. Robert Dowling discusses strategies to optimise the implementation of new technology, as we strive for zero SSIs. 

Disease prevention is a widely accepted principle within clinical practice. The principle of prevention has also been applied to SSIs within the surgical care pathway, where numerous tactics have been defined and subsequently adopted as standard practice to improve patient safety and care quality standards pre-1, intra-2 and postoperatively.2

SSIs are prevalent among inpatients, making up over 15% of all healthcareassociated infection, in England. Moreover, their effects are associated with prolonged hospital stays, additional surgical procedures and significant morbidity and mortality.3

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