In targeted surveillance, what is prioritized?

In targeted surveillance, the primary focus is on identifying and monitoring high-risk infection events. This approach aims to enhance patient safety and quality of care by concentrating resources and efforts on those infections that pose the greatest threat to vulnerable populations, such as residents in nursing homes.

High-risk infections can include those that are particularly severe or have a higher incidence in certain settings. By prioritizing these events, healthcare providers and infection control teams are better equipped to implement timely interventions, improve infection prevention measures, and ultimately reduce the incidence of preventable infections. This strategic emphasis on high-risk scenarios can lead to more effective use of resources and better health outcomes for residents, as it addresses the most pressing infection control challenges specifically.

In contrast, while general health outcomes, cost of treatment, and patient wait times are important metrics for healthcare facilities, they do not specifically target the prevention and management of infections in the same focused manner that prioritizing high-risk infection events does. The targeted approach ensures that intervention efforts are concentrated where they are most needed, making it the optimal choice in the context of infection control in nursing homes.