Highlights, Discussions and Orientations 2012-2013 : Healthcare-Associated Infections Provincial Surveillance Program

The ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) mandated the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) with the provincial surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HAI), as outlined in the 2003–2012 Programme national de santé publique (Public Health Plan), revised in 2008 as well as in the 2006–2009 and 2010–2015 versions of the Plan d’action sur la prévention et le contrôle des infections nosocomiales (Action Plan for Preventing and Controlling HAIs) aimed at reducing the transmission of HAIs in Québec’s healthcare facilities.

The INSPQ set up a structured surveillance program to support public health administrations and local infection prevention and control teams in general and specialized healthcare facilities. The program includes a set of standardized tools and educational activities focusing on infections categorized as “priorities” by the MSSS and by the INSPQ’s Comité des infections nosocomiales du Québec (CINQ) and the Groupe de travail sur la Surveillance provinciale des infections nosocomiales (SPIN).

Surveillance findings are published yearly. Experts serving on the various SPIN committees drafted the 2012–2013 highlights, discussions and recommendations based on this year’s findings. They were then submitted to the CINQ and the MSSS for approval and published.