Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Rate Reporting
Patient safety remains the most important priority for STEGH and this involves ensuring that patients are not at risk for contracting health care-associated infections.
We have a number of practices in place to help prevent surgical site infections, including administering antibiotics to patients at a certain time before their surgery. As of April 30, 2009, all Ontario hospitals that perform hip and knee joint replacement surgeries are required to post quarterly SSI-Prevention percentages to further promote accountability and transparency within the health system.
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SSI Rates at STEGH as Reported to the Ministry
2023
Definitions
A surgical site infection (SSI) occurs at the site of a surgical incision. Germs can get into the incision area, and cause an infection. It can develop within 30 days of an operation, or sometimes even up to one year if an implant (such as a knee or hip joint implant) is used.
Infections can be minor, or occasionally they can increase complications that result in a longer length of stay in the hospital, or an increased readmission rate for patients. Sometimes when patients are admitted to the hospital, they can get infections. These are called health care-associated infections. Post-operative SSIs are the most common health care-associated infections in surgical patients.
If you have any questions about the information below or about our hospital’s infection prevention and control program, please contact us.
Prevention & Control
All hospitals that perform hip and/or knee joint replacement surgery must publicly report the SSI-Prevention indicator data. These Ontario hospitals are posting their quarterly SSI-Prevention percentages for their facility, using the following formula.
STEGH Infection Prevention and Control uses the above formula for both Hip /Knee joint surgery to determine our prevention percentages. This data is collected through review of the patient chart, statistical patient data collection and documentation by the health care team members. As the number of surgeries performed at STEGH may be lower than larger organizations, we recognize that even one case not within the timeframe may elevate our numbers. STEGH continues to work to ensure the antibiotics delivery and timing occur as identified to prevent infections.
The goal of this indicator is to ensure a very important step in preventing surgical site infections is being used. The public reporting of this indicator will reveal the percentage of all eligible patients who get antibiotics at the right time, just before a "first time" joint replacement surgery. Our current percentage is a benchmark and we are working towards full compliance of administering antibiotics in every hip and knee joint replacement surgery.
Infection Prevention and Control collaboratively with the Surgical team actively track all patients who have received “first time” joint replacement surgery through review of their antibiotic timing, the patient condition and surgical recovery for over the next year. The STEGH Health Care team reviews the data collected to identify our compliance and implement any required improvements. STEGH uses the components of the Surgical Site Prevention bundle as developed by Safer Healthcare Now to review and improve our practice when required.
- Follow the pre-operation instructions given to you by your surgeon and health care team.
- Frequent hand cleaning is another way to prevent the spread of infection. Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients.
More patient-specific information is available at:
Visit the Ministry of Health Care and Long-Term Care website to view other hospital's rates. If you have any questions about this information or about our hospital’s infection prevention and control program, please contact us.