The GAIHN-HAI Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) protocol provides a framework to conduct a retrospective study of HAI prevalence in a standardized, feasible, and pragmatic fashion using the PPS data collection application. To the extent possible, protocol methods rely on objective criteria available in medical records for case determination and are less dependent on clinical diagnosis of infection.
Facilities will determine the scope of the PPS, either targeting patients in specific wards, or all eligible patients in the facility. Patient eligibility for inclusion in the survey is determined based on criteria outlined in the protocol; these criteria are designed to only include those patients who are at risk for an HAI. Additionally, the PPS is designed to survey a single day in each network facility. Therefore, data collected from medical chart review only consider data available up to this day during which signs or symptoms of infection may have been present and tests to evaluate infection were performed. By only including patients who are at risk for an HAI, and only collecting relevant data, PPS team members can focus efforts on meaningful, efficient data collection, even when resources are limited.
For each patient included in the survey, data collected include:
- Basic demographics
- Antimicrobial use
- Invasive devices
- Radiology exams and results
- Laboratory tests and results
- Signs and symptoms of infection
The PPS data collection application will guide data collectors through the PPS process outlined in the protocol by querying data collectors to submit only the patient-level clinical, demographic or diagnostic data that are needed to determine the presence of an HAI. These data are then used to classify patients as having one or more HAI using case-definitions outlined in the protocol.
To find out more about the GAIHN-HAI PPS or for more detailed information on the PPS protocol, please email:
gaihn-hai@aimsplatform.org