eBulletin June/July 2005 Edition 15
In this Edition:
Reminders:
! Type 2 Data Submission:
Quarter 1 Reports were released on 6th July 2005. The deadline for data to be forwarded to the VICNISS
Coordinating Centre for Quarter 2, 2005 was 31st July 2005. The corresponding
report is then due to be posted mid September 2005.
! Type 1 Data Submission:
Quarter 1 Reports were released on ?th March 2005. The deadline for data to be forwarded to the VICNISS
Coordinating Centre for Quarter 2, 2005 is 5th August 2005. The corresponding
report is then due to be posted mid September 2005.
Key Dates 2004-05: For more information on deadlines and dates, please click here
(link no longer available) for Key Dates 2004-05.
VICNISS Hospital Acquired Infection Rates - An Update of VICNISS Evening
Most of you should have received an invitation to our upcoming presentation evening, where the VICNISS Coordinating
Centre will launch the VICNISS Annual Report, and present data from Type 1 & 2 hospitals including
Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis Data, and the findings of the Orthopaedic Costing Study.
If you have not received an invitation and would like to attend, the details of the evening and RSVP details are below:
Venue: Rialto One Room, Le Meridien at Rialto, 495 Collins Street, Melbourne
Date: Wednesday 27th July 2005
Time: 6.00pm for 6.30 start (Light supper and drinks available)
RSVP: By Thursday 21st July to Kylie Berry, VICNISS, Phone: 03 9342 2605,
Email: vicniss @ mh.org.au
15th Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Scientific Meeting 2005
In the
April/May eBulletin, details regarding oral and poster participation by VICNISS Coordinating Centre
staff at the above SHEA conference was provided. If you are interested in reading a summary of highlights from the
program at the SHEA conference, please click here (opens in a new window).
VICNISS Collaborates with the Australasian Society of Cardio Thoracic Surgeons (ASCTS)
As many Infection Control Consultants from Type 1 hospitals would know, data on all patients who undergo coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is
collected by both infection control and cardiac surgery departments. The Australasian Society of Cardio Thoracic Surgeons (ASCTS) receives data on all
patients who undergo cardiac surgery in Victorian public hospitals. The data that ASCTS receives is different from VICNISS data in two main ways. Firstly,
they collect extensive patient risk factor data, secondly, they collect data on all postoperative complications, not just infection, and thirdly, unlike
VICNISS, they collect minimal details of infections that occur.
The availability of both ASCTS and VICNISS databases lends perfectly to collaboration. Both ASCTS and The VICNISS Coordinating Centre (VCC) have been
looking forward to utilising more than two years of collected data to research some of the complications of surgery. In addition, both groups are ready to
validate their data.
The VCC aims to start by validating the VICNISS CABG data against the ASCTS data. This should prove a very educational step for both parties, as
different departments invariably perform data collection differently. Following this, the VCC will utilise some of the risk factor data submitted to
ASCTS to study the risk factors for SSI complicating CABG surgery. This type of multicenter study will provide some interesting and important data to
Victorian hospitals.
Ethics approval has been granted from all six Victorian hospitals that perform CABGs, and the Department of Human Services, Human Research Ethics
Committee. The study commenced in June 2005. Results of the research will be available on the VICNISS website on study completion.
Costings Study Update
The VICNISS costing study of selected orthopaedic procedures in Type 1 hospitals is almost complete and a summary of findings will be presented at
the VICNISS evening in July. The purpose of the study has been to capture additional costs attributed to surgical site infections following hip and
knee joint surgeries and includes data relating to morbidity and mortality, excess length of stay and, additional treatment and diagnostic costs from
14 different hospital sites. The final report will be available to hospitals via the VICNISS website late July.
Type 1 Reminders
- VICNISS Satisfaction Survey - have you returned yours yet? Thank you to all those hospitals that have
completed & returned the survey. If you haven't, could you please do so ASAP.
- If you are undertaking CSEC surveillance please ensure you are using the form (1.2) updated in March 2005.
New forms can be downloaded from
www.vicniss.org.au//HCW/Type1/Manual.aspx
- Each time you are faxing data to VICNISS please attach an updated fax cover sheet which is also available from
www.vicniss.org.au//HCW/Type1/Manual.aspx. You are most welcome to fax SSI data each month
rather than waiting until you have a quarter's data ready to send. ICU data can also be faxed at the end of each month.
- Hospitals participating in the ICU modules are also asked to complete and fax Form 2.9 for the LCBSI module
and Forms 2.5 & 2.6 for each infection reported in the LCBSI & VAP modules.
Type 1 Colerectal Surgery User Group
A number of facilities have been contributing data on COLO procedures to VICNISS over the past 12 months.
Participating facilities have reported difficulty applying the infection definitions, and in some instances
given the complexity of cases it is difficult to determine which types of surgery should be included.
To assist participants to address these issues the next User Group meeting will be devoted to COLO issues only.
If you are currently participating in COLO surgery or are planning to you are invited to attend the User
Group meeting which will be held prior to the VICNISS Presentation Evening at The Meridian:
Venue: Thomas Fallon Boardroom, Le Meridien at Rialto, 495 Collins Street, Melbourne
Date: Wednesday 27th July 2005
Time: 4.30-5.30pm (Refreshments available)
Parking: Rialto car park, Flinders Lane entrance
RSVP: By Thursday 21st July to Kylie Berry or Claire Boardman, VICNISS,
Phone: 03 9342 2605, Email: vicniss @ mh.org.au
Type 2 Surveillance: Update
As of 1st June 2005 (as recently sent to ICCs by email):
Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis
A new form with minor changes is to be used as available on the VICNISS website.
Multi Resistant Organism (MRSA and VRE) & Bloodstream Infections
Please contact Noleen Bennett or Ann Bull to discuss :
1. ALL positive MRSA and VRE pathology reports ; and
2. ALL positive blood cultures that occurred 48 hours post admission.
Please call if you have any queries...9342 3906.
