How to design a cost-effective infection control program.

To find out the magnitude of the country's battle with nosocomial infection (any infection acquired during hospitalization) and the extent to which good hospital control programs reduce risks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta undertook a 10-year study, completed in 1984, that cost $12 million. The study, headed by Robert W. Haley, MD, and dubbed SENIC--for Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control--proved that well-designed prevention programs can reduce the incidence of nosocomial infection in hospitals by a startling 32 percent each year. This Special Report gives an overview of Dr. Haley's findings along with his suggestions for effective infection prevention.