About this Reporting Tool

Public reporting of surgical site infection (SSI) prevention for hip and knee joint replacement surgeries in Ontario hospitals will begin on April 30, 2009. Hospitals will post the percentage of hip/knee joint replacement surgical patients who received antibiotics within the appropriate time period before the surgery on their website every three months (quarterly), and will also report their data to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through an online template captured by a central database. The ministry will post this information on its public website.

What are surgical site infections (SSI)?

Surgical site infections occur when harmful germs enter a patient’s body through the surgical site (any cut the surgeon makes in the skin to perform the operation). Infections happen because germs are everywhere – on the skin, in the air and on things individuals touch. Most infections are caused by germs found on and in a patient’s body.

What is surgical site infection prevention?

One of the ways to prevent surgical site infections is by giving patients antibiotics 0 to 60 minutes (for usual antibiotics) or 0 to 120 minutes (for an antibiotic known as vancomycin) before they go undergo surgery. The SSI-prevention indicator will report the percentage of time the health care team gave patients antibiotics within the appropriate time period before the surgery. This will apply only to patients who are 18 years or older who are about to undergo primary hip or knee joint replacement surgery, including total, partial or hemi arthroplasty.

What will be publicly reported?

Beginning April 30, 2009 the ministry will report on its website by hospital site :

• The SSI-prevention percentage of primary hip/knee joint replacement surgical patients who received antibiotics within the appropriate time period before the surgery.

What determines the rate?

*vancomycin is a type of antibiotic

What will the health care system do with this information?

Hospital SSI-prevention provides one measure of patient safety and quality of care.

The information gathered will assist hospitals with evaluating the effectiveness of their infection prevention and control interventions and make further improvements based on this information.