Patient Safety
Patient safety is a priority for the Almonte General Hospital (AGH), including efforts
to prevent and control in-hospital infections. As part of its efforts to keep the public
informed, AGH posts regular patient safety reports on its website.
AGH C. difficile Infection Rates
C. difficile (Clostridium difficile) is a bacteria. C. difficile-associated Disease is one
of the most common infections found in hospitals. Each Ontario hospital is required to
provide monthly updates of its C. difficile Infection Rate. A hospital's C. difficile
Infection Rate is calculated as follows: The number of new hospital-acquired cases of
C. difficile times 1,000, divided by the hospital's total number of patient days for
one month*. The Almonte General Hospital began posting its C. difficile infection rates
in September 2008.
September 2008 - April 2010
- Number of new C. difficile cases - 0
* The total number of days that services were provided to all in-patients
during that month, excluding patient days for those patients less than one
year of age.
AGH C. difficile Infection Rates
What are C. difficile and C. difficile-associated Disease?
C. difficile (Clostridium difficile) is one of many types of bacteria found in bowel
movements. For most people C. difficile does not pose a health risk. However, when the
bacteria grow in the bowel it produces toxins that can damage the bowel and cause diarrhea.
This is known as C. difficile-associated Disease (CDAD). CDAD symptoms can range from mild
to severe diarrhea, to high fever, abdominal cramping, abdominal pain and dehydration.
Severe cases may require surgery and extreme cases may cause death.
What causes CDAD?
CDAD can sometimes occur when antibiotics are prescribed. Antibiotics work by killing
both bad and good bacteria. In the absence of good bowel bacteria, C. difficile can
start to grow and produce toxins that cause CDAD.
Who is at risk for CDAD?
Risk factors for CDAD include:
- A history of antibiotic usage
- Bowel surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Prolonged hospitalization
Additional risk factors that predispose some people to develop more severe CDAD include
increased age and serious underlying illness or debilitation.
How is CDAD diagnosed?
CDAD is diagnosed by laboratory testing of a stool sample to see if C. difficile toxins are present.
How is CDAD treated?
Those with mild symptoms may not need treatment. Antibiotics are used to treat more severe cases.
How does CDAD spread?
When a person has CDAD the bacteria in the stool can contaminate surfaces such as toilets,
handles, bedpans or commode chairs. If you touch these items your hands can become
contaminated. If you touch your mouth without washing your hands, you can become infected.
Soiled hands can also spread the bacteria to other surfaces. Hand-washing and good hygiene
can greatly reduce your risk of picking up C. difficile or any other bacteria.
What happens if a patient gets CDAD while in hospital?
Special precautions are used when a patient has C. difficile and continue to apply until
the patient has been free from diarrhea for at least two days. These precautions include
restricting the patient's activities outside their room and ensuring that all health care
staff entering the room wear gown and gloves. Everyone must clean their hands when
leaving the room.
What is AGH doing to prevent the spread of C. difficile?
AGH staff are strongly encouraged to follow best practices in the areas of hospital
cleaning and hand-washing. Special precautions (see previous answer) would be taken and the
appropriate treatment would be administered to any AGH patient with, or suspected
of having, CDAD.
How can I find out more?
To find out more about C. difficile, CDAD and efforts to improve patient safety in
Ontario hospitals, visit www.health.gov.on.ca
and click on "Patient Safety"
AGH MRSA Infection Rates
S. aureus is a germ that lives on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy people.
Occasionally, S. aureus can cause an infection. When S. aureus develops resistance to
certain antibiotics, it is called methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.
Each Ontario hospital is required to provide monthly updates of its MRSA Infection Rate.
MRSA bacteraemia rates are determined by the number of patients newly diagnosed with
hospital-acquired MRSA bacteraemia, divided by the number of patient days in that
month, multiplied by 1,000. Patient days are the number of days spent in a
hospital for all patients.
The Almonte General Hospital began posting its MRSA Infection Rates in September 2008.
September - December 2008
- Number of new MRSA cases - 0
January - May 2009
- Number of new MRSA cases - 0
June 2009
- Number of new cases where the infection was present on admission and the patient was not exposed to any health care facility in the last 72 hours - 1
July 2009 - April 2010
- Number of new MRSA cases - 0
AGH MRSA Infection Rates
What is MRSA?
S. aureus is a germ that lives on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy
people. Occasionally, S. aureus can cause an infection. When S. aureus
develops resistance to certain antibiotics, it is called methicillin
resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.
How does MRSA spread?
MRSA is spread from one person to another by contact, usually on the hands of caregivers.
It can be present on the caregiver's hands either from touching contaminated material
excreted by the infected person or from touching articles contaminated by the skin of
a person with MRSA, such as towels, sheets and wound dressings. MRSA can live on hands
and objects in the environment.
What happens if a patient gets MRSA while in hospital?
To stop MRSA from spreading to other patients in the hospital, precautions must
be taken, including:
- Single room accommodation
- A long-sleeved gown and gloves worn by anyone caring for the patient
- A sign on the patient's door reminding those who enter about the special precautions
- Regular cleaning and disinfecting of the room and equipment used in it
- Thorough hand-cleaning by everyone who leaves the room and by the patient prior
to leaving the room
What is AGH doing to prevent the spread of MRSA?
AGH staff are strongly encouraged to follow best practices in the areas of hospital
cleaning and hand-washing. Special precautions (see previous answer) would be
taken and the appropriate treatment would be administered to any AGH patient with,
or suspect of having, MRSA.
How can I find out more?
To find out more about MRSA and efforts to improve patient safety in Ontario hospitals, visit
www.health.gov.on.ca and click on
"Patient Safety".
AGH VRE Infection Rates
Enterococci are a type of bacteria normally present in the human intestines and in the
environment. These bacteria can sometimes cause infections. Vancomycin is an antibiotic
that is often used to treat infections caused by enterococci. In some instances,
enterococci have become resistant to this drug and are therefore called vancomycin
resistant enterococci (VRE).
Each Ontario hospital is required to provide monthly updates of its VRE Infection Rate.
VRE bacteraemia rates are determined by the number of patients newly diagnosed with
hospital-acquired VRE bacteraemia, divided by the number of patient days in that
month, multiplied by 1,000. Patient days are the number of days spent in a hospital
for all patients.
The Almonte General Hospital began posting its VRE Infection Rates in September 2008.
September 2008 - April 2010
- Number of new VRE cases - 0
AGH VRE Infection Rates
What is VRE?
Enterococci are a type of bacteria normally present in the human intestines and in the
environment. These bacteria generally do not cause harm, but can sometimes cause
infections. Vancomycin is an antibiotic that is often used to treat infections caused by
enterococci. In some instances, enterococci have become resistant to this drug and are
therefore called vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE). If a person has an infection
caused by VRE, such as a urinary tract infection or blood infection, it may be more
difficult to treat.
How is VRE spread?
VRE is spread from one person to another by contact, usually on the hands of caregivers.
VRE can be present on the caregiver's hands either from touching contaminated material
excreted by an infected person or from touching articles soiled by feces. VRE can
survive well on hands and can survive for weeks on inanimate objects such as toilet
seats, taps, door handles, bedrails, furniture and bedpans. VRE is easy to kill with
the proper use of disinfectants and good hand hygiene.
What happens if a patient gets VRE while in hospital?
To stop VRE from spreading to other patients in the hospital, precautions must be taken, including:
- Single room accommodation
- A long-sleeved gown and gloves worn by anyone caring for the patient
- A sign on the patient's door reminding those who enter about the special precautions
- Regular cleaning and disinfecting of the room and equipment used in it
- Thorough hand-cleaning by everyone who leaves the room and by the patient prior to leaving the room
What is AGH doing to prevent the spread of VRE?
AGH staff are strongly encouraged to follow best practices in the areas of hospital cleaning
and hand-washing. Special precautions (see previous answer) would be taken and the appropriate
treatment would be administered to any AGH patient with, or suspect of having, VRE.
How can I find out more?
To find out more about VRE and efforts to improve patient safety in Ontario hospitals,
visit www.health.gov.on.ca and click on "Patient Safety".
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