Surveillance definitions for infections occurring in non-hospital healthcare settings.
Surveillance is the basis of healthcare infection control.
Useful and consistent case definitions for infections occurring in the hospital setting have been available for many years. Changes in the healthcare delivery system have shifted much care to home, transitional care units, long term care and other skilled nursing facilities. Surveillance for infection in non-hospital settings presents a number of problems, among which is a lack of consistent, feasible, adaptable and accepted case definitions. This effort should involve state and local health departments and professional organizations dealing with infection control. Hospital infection control programs are based on ongoing surveillance of nosocomial infections.