Surgical site infections (SSIs) account for 20% of nosocomial infections. Approximately 3-5% of surgeries result in an SSI. There are many pre-operative and perioperative factors that influence the risk of developing an SSI, including patient characteristics (age, health status), procedure-related factors, and hospital structure and protocols. Hospitals can influence several modifiable risk factors like surveillance, antimicrobial prophylaxis, normothermia, glucose control, and skin preparation to help reduce SSIs.