Minnesota Hospital Association

Quality & Patient Safety

Surgical site infections

Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most common and costly health care-associated infection (HAI), occurring in nearly 5 percent of patients undergoing inpatient surgery. Annual financial costs are estimated at $3.5 to $10 billion. The emotional and physical costs to patients are staggering, including lengthened hospital stays, readmissions and death. Experts estimate that up to 60 percent of SSIs are preventable.   

MHA has developed an SSI road map outlining evidence-based recommendations and standards for the development of prevention and quality improvement programs that align process improvements with outcome data. Road maps reflect published literature and guidance from relevant professional organizations and regulatory agencies, as well as identified proven practices. MHA’s Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Committee provides expert guidance and oversight to all health care-associated infection road maps.    

The SSI road map is intended for hospitals planning a comprehensive SSI performance improvement project.

MHA members can log in to the website at the top-right corner of this page to view the SSI road map. 

SSI webinars

  • Slashing SSI Conference
    View slides
    Presentations include Hennepin Healthcare, St. Cloud Family Birthing Unit and Mayo Clinic
    May 3, 2016
  • FirstLight Health System Ortho SSI Prevention Bundle
    Cindy Teichreow, RN, CIC, Infection Prevention, FirstLight Health System
  • The MN Slashing SSI Bundle: Raising the Bar to Lower the Rate
    View slides
    Dr. Chad Robbins, general surgery, Glencoe Regional Health Services, and Dr. Jamie Bakkum-Gomez, gynecologic surgery, Mayo Clinic