Post-operative infections: the “Points of difference” campaign

Key part of the initiative is a cartoon video starring a young third generation Frankensteinmore informed and aware in the management of post-operative wounds thanks to a web portal created by the company: www.puntididifference.it.

The data

· Approximately 530,000 healthcare-related infections occur in hospitalized patients every year in Italy, of which more than 7,5001 have a fatal outcome. 14.4% 2 are surgical site infections (Source: Motor Healthcare press release, 2019);

On average, 50% of surgical site infections could potentially be preventable by adopting adequate surveillance systems and prevention programs (Source: Odom-Forren, Preventing Surgical Site Infections. Nursing 2009; 36: 58-63);

· The economic impact of hospital infections is estimated to be around 1 billion euros per year;

· The campaign was sponsored by ACOI – Association of Hospital Surgeons, SIC – Italian Society of Surgery, SIGO – Italian Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics and of SIOT – Italian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology.

Infections at the surgical site: a complication to be prevented

Surgical site infections (that is, one that occurs in the part of the body that has undergone surgery) is one of the major complications in patients undergoing surgery.
In addition to the consequences on the patient’s health, there are also important implications in terms of morbidity and financial burdens, which are still too little talked about. Patients are 5 times more exposed to the risk of a new hospitalizationTwice the risk of hospitalization in intensive care and twice the risk of death (Source: World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines for Safe Surgery 2009: Safe surgery saves lives).

Hospital infections also have a economic impact of about 1 billion euros per year, which can significantly affect the sustainability of our National Health System. This implies saving indirect costs and also with consequences on the health system’s ability to treat more patients and recover waiting lists more quickly.

“We are committed to supporting the restart of the post-pandemic health system by investing in products, services and technological solutions capable of creating measurable value for our stakeholders”, explains Silvia De Dominicis, President and CEO of Johnson & Johnson MedTech Italia. “At the same time we are committed to involving and informing citizens with the fundamental contribution of the Scientific Societies who, like us, have the health of Italians at heart, convinced that this too is decisive in creating efficiencies and helping to improve treatment outcomes”.

The “Points of difference” campaign

To create awareness on this issue, J&J Medtech Italia created the site puntididifference.it, where you can find useful information and materials on the prevention of surgical site infections. The campaign also makes use of a cartoon video starring a young Frankensteingreat-grandson of the historian, a representative “testimonial” of a new one generation more aware of the risks of surgical infections. A positive character who has nothing to do with his famous grandfather, proud to say that, despite his countless operations, also thanks to proper prevention that reduced the risk of possible complications, he was able to quickly return to his affections and his habits. The young Frankenstein is not a monster but a boy like many others, attentive to environmental sustainability, informed, who with a positive, direct, understandable and captivating language, is able to combine entertainment, irony and useful information content.

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