Since early 1997, an increasing number of intensive care departments have been voluntarily recording nosocomial infections and generating reference data in the Krankenhaus-Infektions-Surveillance-System  (hospital infection surveillance system, KISS) of the National Reference Center (NRZ) for Nosocomial Infection Surveillance.

The DEVICE-KISS component was initiated in order to give peripheral departments the chance to compare themselves with appropriate reference data. Participating departments transmit their data regularly to the NRZ. The NRZ completes a semi-annual evaluation of device usage rates and device-related infection rates for each department. Moreover, the data of all departments for the entire period are summarised and made available as reference data for comparisons. In addition, a stratification of rates according to various medical disciplines is undertaken. Because relevant patient predisposing and expositional risk factors are taken into account, differences between hospitals or time periods can provide information about infection problems for further investigation.

DEVICE-KISS data collection concentrates on BSI, UTI and lower respiratory tract infections (pneumonia and bronchitis) because of the frequency and severity of infections. The use of devices such as urinary tract catheters, central vascular catheters and mechanical ventilation are taken into account as risk factors for the development of nosocomial infections in data analysis.

Vonberg R, Behnke M, Geffers C, Sohr D, Rüden H, Dettenkofer M, Gastmeier P.
Device-associated infection rates for non-intensive care unit patients.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2006; 27: 357-61.