The Infection Risk Scan (IRIS): A structured approach for infection control monitoring in a tertiary care setting in India

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a critical concern in tertiary care settings [1]. The Infection Risk Scan (IRIS) tool enables a structured, reproducible assessment of infection control practices and antimicrobial stewardship [2]. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2024 to June 2025 in 15 inpatient wards and 5 ICUs. Parameters assessed included hand hygiene, environmental contamination, indwelling device use, MRSA screening and infection prevention preconditions. Results were visualized via spider plots to monitor improvement. Results: Hand hygiene compliance improved from 62.6% in pre-analytical phase (July- Dec 2024) to Post-analytical phase (79.6% in Jan- June- 2025). Air and surface surveillance revealed no significant microbial growth. HAI rates: CAUTI - 1.3% to 0.3%, SSI -1.2% to 0.5%, CLABSI -2.2% to 1.3%, VAP -9% to 8% in pre-analytical phase (July- Dec 2024) to Post-analytical phase (79.6% in Jan- June- 2025) depicted in spider plots enabled comparative risk visualization and performance feedback. Preconditions like PPE, spill kits, and documentation were available in over 90% of settings. Spider plots enabled comparative risk visualization and performance feedback. Conclusion: The Infection Risk Scan (IRIS) was successfully implemented in our tertiary care center, offering transparent data on infection control (IC) quality and antimicrobial use. It identified variation in practices, highlighting areas for improvement.