Welcome to the VICNISS Hospital Acquired Infection Surveillance System
The primary aim of VICNISS is to lower the number of
infections acquired in Victorian hospitals. Established in 2002, the program is coordinated by the VICNISS Coordinating Centre, which
collects and analyses data on hospital acquired (nosocomial) infections in acute care public hospitals in Victoria, and reports individual hospital
and aggregate data back to participants and the Department of Human Services. Surveillance activities are targeted to those
patients at highest risk of hospital acquired infections.
News
TYPE 1 & 2 SURVEILLANCE REPORTS (for participating hospitals only)
September 2009: Quarter 4, 2008/2009
Type 1 and
Type 2 quarterly reports, including Outpatient Haemodialysis reports, and the Type 1 Hospital Level
De-identified Data Report is now available.
These reports can be accessed using your hospital username and password.
An explanatory document regarding these reports is available on your Reports page.
If you have any further questions after reading this document, or any problems accessing
your hospital reports please contact the
Coordinating Centre.
The deadline for data to be forwarded to the VICNISS Coordinating Centre for Quarter
1, 2009/2010 is Friday, 6th November
2009 for Type 1 hospitals
and Friday, 30th October 2009 for Type 2 hospitals. The
corresponding report is then due to be posted on 11th December 2009.
From 1st July 2008 VICNISS quarterly and year to date (YTD) reports will reflect the financial year calendar. For example,
July/Aug/Sept 2008 will be referred to as Q1, 2008/2009. This will mean that reports will
look different to previous reports.
VICNISS Operations Director Extended Leave
Just to let everyone know that VICNISS Operations Director Clinton Dunkley will be on extended sick leave.
In the meantime, it will be business as usual at VICNISS and Ann Bull will be acting Operations Director.
Most importantly, we wish Clinton all the best and hope he recovers quickly.
Hand Hygiene Victoria comes to VICNISS
You may be aware that as of 1st September the activities of Hand Hygiene Victoria transferred to the VICNISS
Coordinating Centre. Kelvin Heard sent out an email to all participating hospitals prior to this date advising of the changes
in summary:
- All data (both compliance and SAB data) will now be submitted to VICNISS. VICNISS is currently working on a revised
form for the inclusion of SAB data that will come into effect on 1st January.
- The provision of education will be through VICNISS on a need basis but may also be undertaken by Hand Hygiene Australia at time
and dates advertised on the HHA website www.hha.org.au.
- Claire Boardman will be the primary contact for hand hygiene related queries and data submission in Victoria. Please submit all
Hand Hygiene related queries and data to the newly created VICNISS email address which is
vicnisshh @ mh.org.au.
- Please note the following data reporting deadlines in your diaries. The dates for HH data submission to VICNISS are consistent
with the posting on the HHA website and are as follows:
- 27th November 2009
- 2nd April 2010
- 6th August 2010
- 26th November 2010
- From 1st January ALL health services/hospitals that are unable to comply with submission of HH data within the reporting time
will be required to complete the VICNISS
NOTICE OF INABILITY TO UNDERTAKE VICNISS SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES FORM.
- As per the letter dated 10/06/09 from DHS to all health services the HH compliance benchmark has been raised and is now 60%.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE HAND HYGIENE COORDINATOR AT YOUR FACILITY IS UP TO DATE WITH THE CHANGES.
2008-09 Statement of Priorities and Performance Framework
Statements of Priorities (SoPs) are the key accountability agreements between Health Services and the Minister for Health. The annual
agreement ensures delivery or substantial progress towards the key shared objectives of financial stability, improves access and waiting times,
and quality of service provision.
There are four Quality and Safety key performance indicators in the 2008-09 Statement of Priorities that may involve infection control
teams; Cleaning, Hand Hygiene, VICNISS data and VICNISS performance.
Key Performance Indicator 8: VICNISS performance has been included in the SoPs for 2008-09. This measurement is based around a hospitals
performance and outlier status for:
- Hip Arthroplasty;
- Knee Arthroplasty;
- Caesarean section;
- Coronary Artery Graft Surgery; and
- Adult Intensive Care Unit patients with central lines.
A copy of the 2008-09 Statement of Priorities and Performance Framework Business Rules can be found at:
www.health.vic.gov.au/hospital-performance/index.htm.
Infection Control Literature Review, October 2009
Our most recent
literature review, for October, compiled by Dr Leon Worth, ID Physician,
discusses current research on the following selected topics:
- Experience of using an Antimicrobial Utilisation Program for Improving Antimicrobial Prescribing
- Simulation-based Education of Hospital Medical Officers can Reduce Catheter-related Bloodstream Infections in ICU