An oncology hospital with ample resources wants to mitigate all infection risks. Which type of surveillance would best support this goal?

• A. Sentinel
• B. Targeted
• C. Total/comprehensive
• D. Active

Answer: (C)

This question tests selecting a surveillance approach that captures every infection event across the hospital so you can understand and prevent infections comprehensively. Comprehensive (total) surveillance monitors all healthcare-associated infections hospital-wide, giving the broadest view of patterns, sources, and trends. In an oncology setting with many immunocompromised patients, having that complete picture is crucial to identify every risk and tailor prevention across units, procedures, and staff practices. With ample resources, the hospital can support the data collection, validation, and analysis required for this wide scope, enabling timely interventions and evaluation of their impact. Other approaches focus on a subset or a specific area—sentinel surveillance for selected infections, targeted surveillance for particular wards or patient groups, and active surveillance that intensively seeks cases in defined settings—which provide narrower views and don’t offer the full, hospital-wide picture needed to mitigate all infection risks.