James Bay General Hospital

PATIENT SAFETY AT JAMES BAY GENERAL HOSPITAL

Patient Safety is defined as the reduction and mitigation of unsafe acts within the health-care system, as well as through the use of best practices shown to lead to optimal patient outcomes. (Source: Canadian Patient Safety Dictionary). At James Bay General Hospital, patient safety is about managing and reducing risk to ensure that the care patients receive is as safe as possible. Improving patient safety is about creating an environment that is transparent and committed to change. We have taken steps to establish a culture where the reporting of adverse medical events and near misses is supported and facilitated under a new reporting system.  The Hospital also participates in provincial patient safety initiatives and recently implemented a comprehensive Quality Management Program, and actively participates in the Regional Infection Control Network.

Sometimes patients can get infections when they are in hospital. These are called hospital-acquired infections because the patient did not have the infection prior to their hospital stay. Many of these infections are caused by the spread of micro-organisms that can also be commonly found in the community, at work, at school or even in our homes.  The most common hospital-acquired infections are Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE). By routinely monitoring and reviewing infection rates, we can quickly address any areas of concern, and put additional protective measures into place to minimize the risk of an infection spreading further.

On May 28th, 2008, the Ontario Government announced that all Hospitals in Ontario would be required to report on eight patient safety indicators as part of a comprehensive plan to create a new level of transparency in Ontario’s Hospitals.  The first of these indicators was the rate of C.difficile, with rates being reported monthly.  The next set of indicators, reported quarterly, included MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus), and HSMR (Hospital Standardized Mortality Ratio).  In April 2009, reported quarterly are CLI (Central-Line Associated primary blood stream infection rates), VAP (Ventilator Associated Pneumonia), and SSI (Surgical Site Infection Prevention).  Also reported in April, on an annual basis will be our Hand Hygiene Compliance Rates.

James Bay General Hospital is required by the Ontario Government to report four of these eight Patient Safety Indicators, as they are applicable to our size and type of Hospital:  C.difficile, MRSA, VRE and Hand Hygiene Compliance.