CDC - National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)

•      Resource for Onboarding NHSN
•      Louisiana Educational Workshops
•      Enrollment in NHSN (for facilities)
•      National Data Reports
•      Data Validation

The purpose of validation is to ensure high-quality surveillance data through accountability and by identifying, understanding, and correcting reporting problems. Developing a standard approach to HAI data validation is important to ensure nationwide data quality and to enhance fairness under current and planned reimbursement programs that use NHSN data.
External validation can help ensure adherence to NHSN’s specifications for HAI reporting by identifying and correcting shortcomings that would be difficult to address through internal validation alone. Understanding what led to reporting errors enhances reporting going forward.

HAI/AR epidemiologists will perform confidential chart reviews to determine the accuracy for which infections were reported into NHSN. Outcomes of this service include improved proficiency in application of NHSN surveillance definitions and preparation for external validation by regulatory bodies.

Validation methodologies provided by CDC are followed for these activities and are available at https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/validation/

All validation meetings are confidential and facility-identifiable results are not distributed outside of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Section of the Louisiana Office of Public Health. To participate, contact Alexa Ramirez (HAI epidemiologist) at Alexa.Ramirez@la.gov.

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