What is a Surgical Site Infection (SSI)?
An SSI is a type of health care-associated infection that occurs in the part of a patient's body where surgery was performed. We follow safe processes to reduce the risk of infection following surgery.
How does UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco monitor SSIs?
SSI rates are measured using the methods of the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) is a way to measure the number of hospital-acquired infections compared to what is expected based on national data.
What are we doing to improve patient outcomes?
- Ensuring that antibiotics are being given appropriately for each type of surgery
- Educating patients and families on prevention processes, e.g., hand hygiene by all care team members, antibacterial baths performed at home prior to surgery, screening for nasal colonization and providing treatment in higher risk surgeries
- Participating in the Solutions for Patient Safety collaborative projects related to the prevention of SSIs
Surgical Site Infections
| Year | Infection Rate |
|---|---|
| FY2021 | 1.07 |
| FY2022 | 0.78 |
| FY2023 | 0.47 |
| FY2024 | 1.98 |
| FY2025 | 0.58 |
A Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) of 1 means that the hospital’s infection rate is as expected. Higher than 1 means more infections than expected and less than 1 means better than expected.
