The objective of this plan is to develop effective infection prevention strategies in a dental teaching hospital. By focusing on key metrics such as Infection Rate, Hand Hygiene Compliance Rate, and Surgical Site Infection Rate, the plan aims to ensure patient safety and enhance healthcare quality. Each metric has significant importance, as they collectively contribute to reducing infections, improving hygiene practices, and maintaining a sterile environment.
For example, monitoring the Infection Rate helps identify breaches in protocols, thereby guiding improvements like enhancing sterilization procedures. Similarly, achieving a high Hand Hygiene Compliance Rate ensures that healthcare workers consistently follow hygiene protocols, reducing the spread of infections. Surgical Site Infection Rate is crucial for tracking and minimizing post-surgical complications, ensuring successful patient recoveries.
Top 5 metrics for Infection Prevention Strategies
1. Infection Rate
The percentage of patients who acquire an infection as a result of medical treatment. It is calculated by the number of infections divided by the number of procedures performed, multiplied by 100.
What good looks like for this metric: Typically below 2%
How to improve this metric:- Enhance sterilisation protocols
- Implement hand hygiene training
- Conduct regular infection control audits
- Limiting patient exposure to infection sources
- Improve personal protective equipment usage
2. Hand Hygiene Compliance Rate
The percentage of healthcare workers who follow hand hygiene protocols. It is assessed through observations and audits.
What good looks like for this metric: 85% or higher
How to improve this metric:- Provide hand hygiene training sessions
- Increase availability of hand sanitiser stations
- Use reminders and visual cues for hand hygiene
- Monitor compliance and give feedback
- Incorporate hand hygiene protocols in daily huddles
3. Surgical Site Infection Rate (SSI)
The percentage of infections at surgical sites relative to the total number of surgeries performed.
What good looks like for this metric: Typically less than 1.5%
How to improve this metric:- Optimize preoperative patient preparation
- Use appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis
- Maintain sterile surgical environments
- Educate staff on proper wound care techniques
- Monitor and review infection control practices
4. Equipment Sterilisation Compliance Rate
The percentage of medical equipment that is sterilised according to standards.
What good looks like for this metric: Greater than 95%
How to improve this metric:- Regularly train staff on sterilisation techniques
- Conduct routine checks of sterilisation equipment
- Log sterilisation dates and times
- Replace faulty or outdated equipment
- Implement a double-check system
5. Hospital-Acquired Infection (HAI) Incidence Rate
The number of hospital-acquired infections per 1,000 patient bed days.
What good looks like for this metric: Usually below 2 infections per 1,000 bed days
How to improve this metric:- Enhance environmental cleaning routines
- Review and update infection control policies
- Train staff on early infection detection
- Enhance patient education about infection prevention
- Implement isolation protocols for infectious cases
How to track Infection Prevention Strategies metrics
It's one thing to have a plan, it's another to stick to it. We hope that the examples above will help you get started with your own strategy, but we also know that it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day effort.
That's why we built Tability: to help you track your progress, keep your team aligned, and make sure you're always moving in the right direction.
Give it a try and see how it can help you bring accountability to your metrics.
