Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Laurel Myers
Health care-associated infections are an unwelcome reality in
modern health care settings across the globe, according to the
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care website. Prevention and
control of these infections in hospitals is a priority for
Ontario and is key to keeping patients safe.
On May 28, 2008, the government announced an eight-point public
reporting program for hospitals in Ontario. The Ministry and
Ontario hospitals have since begun posting information about
some hospital-acquired illnesses on its websites, including
Clostridium Difficile Associated Disease (C. Difficile or
CDAD), Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), and
Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcis (VRE). In addition, the
Hospital Standardized Mortality Ratio (HSMR) is also being
reported publicly.
As of April 30 of this year, the rates for four additional
hospital-acquired infections will be added to the public
reporting system - Central-Line Primary Blood Stream Infection
(CLI), Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP), Surgical Site
Infection Prevention and Hand Hygiene Compliance.
Dr. Michael Baker, provincial lead for patient safety and
quality for the ministry, was in Sudbury recently to meet with
staff at the Sudbury Regional Hospital (HRSRH) St. Joeseph's
site, to discuss the latest on patient safety.
"We're going to report on two infections that occur in the
Intensive Care Unit, including infections in the plastic lines
we use, and infections that occur in the lungs in patients on
ventilators," Baker explained. "In addition, we're going to ask
operating rooms that do (joint) replacements, to report on the
frequency with which they comply with infusing antibiotics an
hour before the operation, to reduce the infection rate that
occurs in wounds after those operations.
"Lastly, ... we're asking every hospital to report on an audit
of how frequently, we wash our hands ... before and after every
patient contact."
The rates of the three hospital-acquired infections will be
reported on a quarterly basis, while hand hygiene compliance
will be reported annually.
For CLI, VAP, and SSI, Baker said he is expecting the rates to
be relatively low.
"It's a highly trained staff that, for some period of time,
devoted a lot of energy to this. They're dangerous infections,
but I believe we'll probably show we've managed these down."
However, he said he expects a low percentage of compliance for
hand hygiene.
"We're setting a very high standard. We will only approve an
interaction when every single time a doctor, nurse or
technician cleans their hands with the proper alcohol rub every
single time they go in and out of every single patient room,
sometimes hundreds of times a day.
"I think we'll see less than perfect performance there and I
won't be surprised by that ... I expect that will improve as
time goes by."
Dr. David McNeil, vice-president clinical programs and chief
nursing officer at the HRSRH, said "all indications are that we
do have a good system (of infection control practices) in place
and that our rates are in and around the provincial rates.
"On April 30, you will see the balance of indicators being
reported and we're confident you'll see we're doing just as
well."
Detailed patient safety indicator reporting is available
through the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care website
at
www.ontario.ca/patientsafety
.
