National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)

The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) is a secure, internet-based surveillance system managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NHSN is open to a variety of health care facilities in the United States.

About NHSN

• CDC: National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)
  NHSN is a voluntary, secure, internet-based surveillance system developed by the CDC.

NHSN Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Module

• NHSN Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Module
  The NHSN Antimicrobial Use and Resistance module provides a way for facilities to report and analyze the use of antibiotics and occurrence of drug-resistant infections. Reports can give facilities important information to help reduce overuse of antibiotics, and in turn, help to reduce the incidence of antibiotic-resistant infections.

MDH NHSN Data Use Agreement (DUA) with CDC

MDH established a Data Use Agreement (DUA) with CDC in 2013, subsequently updating it in 2017 and most recently in 2023. This establishes a formal data access and data use relationship between CDC and the MDH. The agreement covers individual-identifiable and institution-identifiable data that have been submitted to NHSN by health care institutions in Minnesota. The DUA stipulates that MDH may only use the data for healthcare-associated infection (HAI) surveillance and prevention purposes and not for legal or regulatory action. Public reporting of facility-level results by MDH is also prohibited.

Webinar

As part of the process to update the MDH NHSN DUA, CDC held an informational webinar on June 6, 2023, for infection prevention and quality improvement staff from Minnesota hospitals, outpatient dialysis centers, and ambulatory surgery centers.

• Webinar Slides: Data Use Agreement Minnesota Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) (PDF)