HAI: Maine
#permalink to sectionHealthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients may experience while receiving medical treatment, very often within a healthcare facility. Working toward the elimination of HAIs is a CDC priority. The standardized infection ratio (SIR) is a summary measure used to track HAIs. This number is calculated by dividing the number of observed infections by the number of predicted infections. The number of predicted infections is based upon facility and location-level characteristics. For example, if one hospital only had five infections within the course of a year, and yet had ten HAIs predicted, its SIR would then be 0.50. For this reason, healthcare facilities aim for their SIRs to be as far below 1 as possible. For detailed HAI-specific information regarding the current national baseline and risk adjustments, visit the CDC National Healthcare Safety Network SIR Guide. Explore CDC's investments and activities.