National Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control in the Netherlands

Nosocomial infections in healthcare impose a heavy and potentially life-threatening burden on patients and can inflate healthcare expenditures. From 1981 to 2017, the Dutch Working Party on Infection Prevention (Werkgroep infectiepreventie [WIP]) developed infection prevention and control guidelines to minimize the impact of nosocomial infections. Despite its long standing and renowned status, the WIP lost both support from its base and financial support and was disbanded. Four years later, the Dutch Collaborative Partnership for Infection Prevention Guidelines (Samenwerkingsverband Richtlijnen Infectiepreventie [SRI]) was established to develop evidence-based guidelines for hospitals, long-term care, and public health settings. In this article, we summarize the process and methodology of infection prevention and control guideline development, within all three healthcare domains in the Netherlands.