RESEARCHERS from Deakin University have announced the first infection survey of Australian hospitals in more than 30 years.
The study aims to evaluate the level of infection risk across the sector, as well as helping to stem the rise of so-called superbugs.
The National Healthcare Associated Infection Point Prevalence Survey will be conducted next year, counting how many patients in a sample of Australian hospitals have an infection on a single day.
"This work is critical, as infections can result in ongoing health complications for patients, and in the worst cases death," said project leader Dr Philip Russo from Deakin's School of Nursing and Midwifery.
"Patients in Australian hospitals are now sicker than they've ever been, so they're more vulnerable to infection," Russo said.
The study, which is being funded thanks to a donation from a charitable organisation, will also gather data on the prevalence and types of bugs in hospitals as well as how many patients have resistant strains of the bugs.
The last time a similar survey was carried out was in 1984.
"There's a lot of media attention on the use of antibiotics and the burden of multi-resistant organisms in Australia, but we don't actually know how prevalent these superbugs are in our hospital system as a whole," Russo said.
The three-year project will begin in Sep with the recruitment of participating hospitals.
For info see ipcca.com.au/pps.
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