How to Write a Surveillance Plan for Hospitals & Nursing Homes

A fundamental function of public health is surveillance, which is the collection and analysis of data regarding the early detection and treatment of disease outbreak within a certain population. It is imperative that hospitals and nursing homes provide active surveillance of disease outbreaks, infection protocols and effective disease-prevention methods. Informed actions can save lives, improve patient safety and reduce the impact of disease. There are many design methods for creating surveillance programs in a hospital or nursing home setting, but certain key principles are essential for establishing an effective surveillance plan.

Instructions

• 1

  Choose health personnel to participate in the surveillance committee and design the facility's surveillance plan. The surveillance committee will carry out the active surveillance of the committee's goals, so you should choose employees with a background in infection control and a demonstrated ability to collect and analyze important data. Designate a medical coordinator to lead the surveillance team, if you do not have the credentials to act as coordinator.

• 2

  Outline critical goals, committee objectives and important elements of the surveillance process. Maximize resources by focusing on population-specific goals, so that resources can be targeted appropriately. Study vital statistics, provided by reputable government agencies, that outline the most common causes of death and infection in a hospital or nursing home setting.

• 3

  Focus on infection control methods that have the greatest impact on hospital and nursing home populations. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality states that healthcare-associated infections are one of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States. This statistic supports infection control as a critical goal for both hospitals and nursing homes, because both facilities have a large patient population with compromised immune systems.

• 4

  Establish protocols to investigate outbreaks, report new strains of infection and report clusters of existing disease as part of your surveillance plan. Provide training for health department staff, so they can monitor and report back new diagnostic data. Develop standard reporting criteria, such as size, location and type of infectious outbreak.

• 5

  Contact state and local health departments to inquire about surveillance compliance with state infection control agencies. Most states have established statewide infection control programs, who work in accordance with hospital and nursing home surveillance committees. You can obtain this information through your State Department of Health or local public health centers.

• 6

  Enroll in the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), which is a voluntary, Internet-based surveillance system that integrates and expands a facilities' own surveillance program to a national level. Enrollment is open to all types of health care facilities, including long-term care facilities, hospitals and nursing homes. The NHSN provides free materials and specialty training in data collection for surveillance purposes.

• 7

  Prepare a readiness plan describing the steps necessary to contain an infectious episode and reduce disease outbreak. Include guidelines on isolating infectious patients, transporting sick patients and administering vaccines. In addition, include specific guidelines for the treatment and evacuation of sick medical staff.