The measures listed below represent the best practices for the prevention of infections after selected surgeries (colon surgery, hip and knee arthroplasty, abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy, cardiac surgery and vascular surgery).

Patients with contraindications to any of the recommended treatments are excluded from the scores for that treatment. Higher percentages indicate better performance.

Preventive Antibiotic 1 Hour Before Surgery

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of eligible surgical patients who received prophylactic or preventive antibiotics within one hour prior to surgical incision.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because surgery patients given antibiotics, medicines that prevent and treat infections, within the hour before their operation are less likely to get wound infections. Getting an antibiotic over an hour earlier or after surgery begins is not as effective.

Preventive Antibiotics Discontinued Within 24 Hours

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of eligible surgical patients whose prophylactic or preventive antibiotics were discontinued within 24 hours after surgery ended (or 48 hours after CABG or other cardiac surgery). Antibiotics are medicines that prevent and treat infections.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because taking antibiotics for more than 24 hours after routine surgery is usually not necessary and can increase the risk of side effects, such as stomach aches, serious types of diarrhea, and developing resistance to the antibiotic (the use of too much antibiotic can prevent them from being effective). There are, however, exceptions. If the surgical site has been contaminated, making the surgery more complicated, there may be a need for additional antibiotics after 24 hours. Talk to your doctor to determine how long you should take antibiotics after surgery.