A surgical site infection (SSI) occurs after surgery ad in the part of the body where the surgery took place. SSIs can sometimes be superficial infections involving the skin only. Other SSIs are more serious and can involve tissues under the skin, organs or implanted material.
Developing a full understanding of the frequency and harm arising from SSIs is complicated by the fact that many SSIs cause symptoms only after a patient leaves the hospital. Most of these SSIs are treated as outpatient conditions, although some cases cause re-hospitalizations.
The Partnership for Patients will track the total number of SSIs occurring after 17 different types of major surgery. CDC has estimated that over 110,000 SSIs occurred among patients receiving the 17 selected operations in 2009.
Goal: The Partnership for Patients estimates that 35 percent of all SSIs are currently preventable. The goal set for hospitals is to reduce preventable SSIs by 20 percent by 2013. Over three years this would prevent over 13,000 SSIs.
