Enhanced infection control measures lowered cancer hospital infection rates

A tertiary cancer hospital in Sichuan Province, China, implemented enhanced infection control measures between June 2020 and June 2022 to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

Researchers analyzed monthly surveillance data from 2016 to 2022 to determine how these specific actions affected healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The study found that these measures led to a 36% relative reduction in infections compared to trends seen before the pandemic. This change resulted in 525 fewer cases of healthcare-associated infections over the two-year period.

The data showed that these improvements were most notable in respiratory system infections and urinary system infections. While the measures were effective for several areas, the reduction in oral cavity infections was not statistically significant. The researchers used these findings to suggest that hospitals can use these specific infection control policies to improve patient safety in specialized cancer centers after the pandemic.