CME Credits: 1.50

Type: Oral

Summary: According to WHO, surgery has become an integral part of global healthcare, with an estimated annual 234 million operations complicated by preventable SSIs. While much has been learned about SSI prevention through the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) and WHO’s Safer Surgical Procedures campaign, uncertainty continues on the effectiveness of selected perioperative practices as growing rates of antimicrobial resistance are reported. This symposium will summarize what the new standard of care should be based on available evidence, as well as to where prevention of SSIs should leap in the next 10 years. New evidence suggests that current risk stratification needs better methods to facilitate inter-facility comparison to assist with local process improvement and for potential utility in external reporting. Faculty will present a critical evaluation of reasonable risk stratification of SSIs and impact on reduction in SSI incidence.