Surgical Infection Prevention

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Hospitals can reduce the risk of wound infection after surgery by providing the right medicines at the right time on the day of surgery. These quality measures show some of the standards of care provided to patients having surgery. To compare St. Mary’s results with other hospitals in the United States, please visit http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/.

Better than or equal to US avarage

Near US average (within 10 points) 

Worse than US avarage (greater than 10 points) 

N/A - no comparative data   

Surgical Infection Prevention
(Please pause over an indicator for details)

 Indicator

Maine Average
April 2011**

US Average 
April 2011**

St. Mary's 
March 2011
Prophylactic Antibiotic Received within 1 hour Prior to Surgical IncisionAntibiotics are medicines to prevent and treat infections. Research shows that surgery patients who get antibiotics within the hour before their operation are less likely to get wound infections. Getting an antibiotic earlier, or after surgery begins, is not as effective.

 97%

98% 

98.6% of
73 cases 
Prophylactic Antibiotic Discontinued within 24 hours After Surgery End Time Antibiotics are medicines to prevent and treat infections. While the likelihood of infection after surgery can be reduced by giving patients preventative antibiotics, taking these 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 antibiotic resistance (when antibiotics are used too much, they will not work anymore.) There are exceptions - for example, where the surgical site has been contaminated (making the surgery not routine). Talk to your doctor if you have questions about how long you should take antibiotics after surgery.

94% 

97% 

98.6% of
71 cases 
Surgical patients given the right Antibiotic 

97% 

99% 

98.6% of
71 cases 
Surgical Patients with Perioperative Temp Mgmt

 No comparative data

 No comparative data

 99.1% of 117 cases
Hair Removal

 99%

 100%

100% of
117 cases
DVT - Treatment ordered to Prevent Blood Clots for Certain Surgical Patients

 94%

 97%

91.9% of
37 cases 
DVT - Treatment received timely to Prevent Blood Clots for Certain Surgical Patients

 92%

96% 

 91.9% of 37 cases
 

7/28/2011

 7/28/2011

 7/29/2011

** These numbers were publicly posted on the national websites in March 2011. 
This data was collected July 2009 - June 2010.  


There are also steps that you, as a patient, can take to make sure your surgery is as safe as possible. For example, your doctor or nurse can tell you how to wash with an antibiotic soap the day before surgery. You can also give your doctor or nurse a list of all your medications, including vitamins, herbal medicines, and over-the-counter medications. Tell your doctor or nurse about any allergies and bad reactions to anesthesia.

Sometimes patients get an infection after surgery, even if the hospital took steps to prevent it. Here are signs to look  for:

  • The surgical wound is red, hot, and swollen.
  • You have a fever of over 100 degrees after you go home.
  • A smelly or yellow/green fluid is coming out of the wound.
  • Your pain is increasing even though you are taking pain medication.

Call your doctor or local hospital immediately if you have any of these signs.

Patient Care Indicators

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