Implementation of a Wisconsin Division of Public Health Surgical Site Infection Prevention Champion Initiative.

Abstract

Approximately 900 surgical site infections (SSIs) were reported to the Wisconsin Division of Public Health annually from 2013 to 2015, representing the most prevalent reported health care-associated infection in the state. Personnel at the Wisconsin Division of Public Health launched an SSI prevention initiative in May 2015 using a surgical care champion to provide surgical team peer-to-peer guidance through voluntary, nonregulatory, fee-exempt onsite visits that included presentations regarding the evidence-based surgical care bundle, tours of the OR and central processing areas, and one-on-one discussions with surgeons. The surgical care champion visited 10 facilities from August to December 2015, and at those facilities, SSIs decreased from 83 in 2015 to 47 in 2016 and the overall SSI standardized infection ratio decreased by 45% from 1.61 to 0.88 (P = .002), suggesting a statewide SSI prevention champion model can help lead to improved patient outcomes.