A Comparison of Administrative Data Versus Surveillance Data for Hospital-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Canadian Hospitals.

BACKGROUND In Canadian hospitals, clinical information is coded according to national coding standards and is routinely collected as administrative data. Administrative data may complement active surveillance programs by providing in-hospital MRSA infection data in a standardized and efficient manner, but only if infections are accurately captured. OBJECTIVE To assess the accuracy of administrative data regarding in-hospital bloodstream infections (BSIs) and all-body-site infections due to MRSA.