Hi Everyone,
This week you may have noticed the subject of "Superbugs" getting some media attention. Just this week, the Globe and Mail has been editorializing about Superbugs and the lack of standardization of the reporting of hospital-acquired infections.
UHN has been reporting MRSA, VRE and C. difficile for quite some time - one of the very few hospitals in Canada that does publicly report hospital-acquired infections. We do this because we feel the public has a right to know what is going on inside our hospitals. Hopefully, if others see that we have done this, they will too. Every year thousands of patients die from preventable infections that they acquired in hospital. We believe public reporting is an important step to reducing these numbers and improving hospital mortality.
We don't need to tell you how committed this organization is to patient safety. The board and the leadership at UHN take this very seriously as reflected in its central location on the Balanced Score Card.
How can you help? "Got Hands? Clean 'Em!" Proper hand hygiene is the best way to control the spread of hospital-acquired bacteria such as MRSA and C difficile. Infection Prevention and Control is the in the middle of revamping hand hygiene at UHN. We've brought in new hand hygiene products - that you chose - we're educating staff, auditing performance and even handing out gift certificates for doing the right thing.
Making UHN the safest hospital possible is going to take time and effort - but with your help we will make this a safer place for our patients.
Thank you.
Bob, Catherine and Kevin
