SIR CLUB
History
The REUSSIR network developed from the SIR Club created in 1995 by a number of i2a solution users who wanted to see the development of a complete expert system that was universal, efficient, customisable, and adaptable.
THE SIR CLUB
Initially, the SIR CLUB was the idea of a group of users of solutions developed by i2a, the aim being to get together with colleagues for constructive discussions about these products annually.
These discussions, which i2a also attends, help create and perfect the highly reputed SIRweb software, in particular its expert system for AST interpretive reading.
THE REUSSIR NETWORK
The fruitful first years of the REUSSIR network resulted, in 1997, in the first analyses and interpretations, also making it possible to widen the discussion subjects to new products and scientific recommendations and to open the way for a national antimicrobial resistance (AMR) monitoring system.
Operation
The REUSSIR network is based on 3 main pillars: members using i2a-developed solutions, the network coordinators, and i2a, the designer of the solutions.
NETWORK MEMBERS
The REUSSIR network members include around thirty hospitals throughout France, all users of a SIR® epidemiological operating system developed by i2a.
They collect and supply epidemiological data. This data comes from analyses carried out by each member in their laboratory.
To define the working rules for each center, and in particular specific comments on AST results (presence of ESBL, low-level resistance to aminoglycosides in enterococci, etc.), each participant fills in a structured questionnaire.
i2a
i2a has designed software especially for SIR Club members which is used to extract the epidemiological data contained in each REUSSIR network member’s laboratory database.
THE COORDINATOR
The coordinator, who is also a member of the REUSSIR network, represents the processing centre. They retrieve and process the data extracted by i2a.
The processing centre has been located at the Aix en Provence hospital centre since the REUSSIR network was created.
Depending on the methodology used, the REUSSIR network tries to use as many of the antibiotics as possible tested by the majority of centres for its analyses to obtain a “common denominator”. Before the data from a centre is included in the computerised database, coherence studies are carried out: overall distribution of germs and distribution per type of sample, presence of ESBL, percentage of oxacillin resistance in staphylococcus aureus, etc.
Quality control is organised by the processing centre every year. This consists in sending 4 or 5 bacterial strains that have antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile specificities. A quality control report is sent to all participants. The quality control results are discussed during the annual network participant meeting.
The REUSSIR network and ONERBA
The REUSSIR network has been part of the ONERBA supervisory committee since 1997.
The ONERBA (French National Observatory for Epidemiology of Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobials) has received the following missions from the Ministry of Health:
Collect available information on the evolution of antimicrobial resistance in France, analyze it, and compare it with the results obtained in other countries.
Act in an advisory capacity to improve data quality and how it is collected.
Implement studies to collect data that is not available.
Provide Health Authorities, Learned Societies, and healthcare professionals with information on the evolution of antimicrobial resistance at their request.
Directly or indirectly take part in any training operations concerning the previous items, in particular through presentations and publications.
Through this association, the REUSSIR network and the ONERBA pool their knowledge and information in order to improve antimicrobial resistance (AMR) monitoring and develop new scientific recommendations.
The power of the REUSSIR network due to its very high reliability, the anonymisation* of the extracted databases, the removal of duplicates, and its completeness (thanks to the SIR® system) make it one of the key tools to monitor antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in France.
*database anonymisation is carried out using an algorithm developed by i2a and validated by the CNIL (French data privacy watchdog).
Annual SIR CLUB day
Every year, all the SIR Club members are invited to participate in an information and discussion day. The day is organised into 2 parts.
First part of the day
Discussion of new scientific recommendations and news, new molecules, and new CASFM/EUCAST rules.
Second part of the day
Presentation of REUSSIR network data.
A leading French specialist speaks on a specific theme.
