Lunch & Learn series autumn 2024 (full program is attached and the sessions will be recorded)
10. What is the environmental impact of surgical site infections?
As of 2024, we have crossed 6 of the 9 planetary boundaries which define a safe operating space for humanity. Climate change is a global medical and veterinary healthcare crisis and threatens our ability to continue providing quality of care to our patients. But what do we know about the impact of a surgical site infection on our planetary resources, and how can we reduce the impact? This short lecture will explore some of the themes and provide some pragmatic answers.
It is Dr, Ellie West, that we give us these answers. She is a veterinarian, an European Veterinary Specialist in Anaesthesia & Analgesia and she works as Healthy Planet Lead for AniCura and Linnaeus Group.
Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the burden of surgery. It causes patient suffering, increased costs, frustration and stress for pet owners and staff with decreased client satisfaction followed by bad reputation and decreased credibility. Also, the treatments that follow an SSI will increase our environmental footprint as we will use more material, more antibiotics and maybe more anaesthesia gases depending on the severity of the infection. Then the owner might need to travel multiple times in a car to resolve the problem. Prevention of SSI is the key forward to make us a more sustainable business.
Recently, AniCura has updated our Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Guidelines. By applying the recommendations in these guidelines, we will reduce the spread of micro-organisms in our clinics and therefore, we will prevent patients from disease like surgical site infections. Compliance to our IPC guidelines will also contribute to a safer work environment to Associates.as the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases declines.
When SSIs occur, it is essential to reflect why. We know that many SSIs are preventable. Here, we have APSIS to help us, however, active surveillance is the base to combat these infections which will give us a more complete picture. To rely on owners coming back is not a trustworthy way. Sampling for bacteriology and sustainability testing is of outmost importance, because in both human and veterinary healthcare, it is more common that resistant bacteria are the cause of the SSIs.
This series of Lunch & Learns will give you an excellent background on why and how to prevent and tackle these infections.
REGISTRATION
To sign up to the event start by selecting quantity in the booking option below. Secondly you fill in your personal details, email address and answer the questions. To finalise your booking press the button "Book" at the end. Confirm your registration by pressing the button "Confirm" in the pop-up window. Within a few minutes you will receive a booking confirmation to your email, follow the link in the email to complete your booking. Once you have done that you will receive another email with a registration confirmation. Then you are registered. Welcome!
Link to Teams, for Lunch&Learn, Dec 17, 2024 on the climate impact of surgical site infections.