Reducing surgical site infections through quality improvement initiative: A tertiary cardiac care facility experience in a developing country

Abstract

Introduction: Amongst healthcare associated infections (HAIs), surgical site infections (SSIs) are a preventable cause of increased morbidity and mortality and are associated with substantial financial costs. SSI rates are an indicator of the quality of surgical and postoperative care, which necessitates the need for robust surveillance systems for these healthcare associated infections. Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are at a greater risk for infection due to their relatively older age and the presence of comorbid conditions like diabetes mellitus and obesity.