Providing high quality, safe patient care is our top priority. South Bruce Grey Health Centre has a rigorous infection control program in place to ensure that our patients are not at risk for contracting health care-associated infections, and we are committed to using standardized patient safety data and public reporting to drive further improvements.

Click on the links below to view our reports on eight patient safety indicators that are measured by Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

  • C. difficile

    C. difficile (Clostridium difficile) is a type of bacteria normally found in soil and other natural environments. It can also live in our own gut or bowel with many other kinds of bacteria. Antibiotics (medicines) used to treat infections will kill many of these germs but may allow C. difficile to grow causing irritation of the bowel and diarrhea. Other types of medications may also cause your bowel to be susceptible to this infection. This can happen with medications you have taken at home or while you were in the hospital.

    SBGHC – Chesley                  
    Month Apr 2022 May 2022 Jun 2022 Jul
    2022
    Aug 2022 Sept 2022 Oct 2022 Nov 2022 Dec 2022 Jan 2023 Feb 2023 Mar 2023
    CDAD Cases 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
    1000 Patient Days 351 452 429 420 469 425 411 403 359 415 396 374
    Rates 0 0 0 2.38 0 2.35 0 0 0 0 0 0

     

    SBGHC – Durham                  
    Month Apr 2022 May 2022 Jun 2022 Jul
    2022
    Aug 2022 Sept 2022 Oct 2022 Nov 2022 Dec 2022 Jan 2023 Feb 2023 Mar 2023
    CDAD Cases 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    1000 Patient Days 226 261 247 254 262 271 227 239 242 291 277 270
    Rates 0 3.83 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

     

    SBGHC – Kincardine                  
    Month Apr 2022 May 2022 Jun 2022 Jul
    2022
    Aug 2022 Sept 2022 Oct 2022 Nov 2022 Dec 2022 Jan 2023 Feb 2023 Mar 2023
    CDAD Cases 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    1000 Patient Days 404 437 415 417 447 430 503 511 455 480 466 436
    Rates 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

     

    SBGHC – Walkerton                  
    Month Apr 2022 May 2022 Jun 2022 Jul
    2022
    Aug 2022 Sept 2022 Oct 2022 Nov 2022 Dec 2022 Jan 2023 Feb 2023 Mar 2023
    CDAD Cases 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    1000 Patient Days 399 478 452 469 595 490 457 464 462 496 390 452
    Rates 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

     

  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

    What is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)?

    Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of bacteria that is resistant to certain or all types of the beta-lactam classes of antibiotics such as penicillins, penicillinase-resistant penicillins (e.g. cloxacillin) and cephalosporins.

    What are the risk factors for MRSA?

    Risk factors for MRSA acquisition include invasive procedures, prior treatment with antibiotics, prolonged hospital stay, stay in an intensive care or burn unit, surgical wound infection and close proximity to a colonized person.

    How does MRSA spread?

    The spread of MRSA occurs through contact and can live on surfaces for months. Good hand hygiene is the single-most effective way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like MRSA. Mild cases may not require treatment and severe cases may require other antibiotics.

    April – June 2022 July – Sept. 2022 Oct. –
    Dec. 2022
    January – March 2023
    Chesley        
    Number of New Cases of MRSA Bacteremia 0 0 0 0
    Rate per 1000 Patient Days 0 0 0 0
    Durham        
    Number of New Cases of MRSA Bacteremia 0 0 0 0
    Rate per 1000 Patient Days 0 0 0 0
    Kincardine        
    Number of New Cases of MRSA Bacteremia 0 0 0 0
    Rate per 1000 Patient Days 0 0 0 0
    Walkerton        
    Number of New Cases of MRSA Bacteremia 0 0 0 0
    Rate per 1000 Patient Days 0 0 0 0

     

  • Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE)

    What is VRE?

    Enterococci are bacteria that are normally present in the human intestines and in the female genital tract and are often found 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 thus are called Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

    What causes VRE?

    Enterococci bacteria in the lower intestine and/or other areas (e.g., urine, blood, skin) may cause an infection and may be resistant to the antibiotic Vancomycin. Others may carry the bacteria without having symptoms. Risk factors for VRE acquisition include severity of underlying illness, presence of invasive devices, prior colonization with VRE, antibiotic use and length of hospital stay.

    How does VRE spread?

    The spread of VRE occurs through contact. The bacteria can live on surfaces for days to weeks and on hands for several hours. The bacteria are relatively easy to kill with hospital grade disinfectants and good hand hygiene.

    April – June 2022 July – Sept. 2022 Oct. –
    Dec. 2022
    Jan. – Mar. 2023
    Chesley        
    Number of New Cases of VRE Bacteremia 0 0 0 0
    Rate per 1000 Patient Days 0 0 0 0
    Durham        
    Number of New Cases of VRE Bacteremia 0 0 0 0
    Rate per 1000 Patient Days 0 0 0 0
    Kincardine        
    Number of New Cases of VRE Bacteremia 0 0 0 0
    Rate per 1000 Patient Days 0 0 0 0
    Walkerton        
    Number of New Cases of VRE Bacteremia 0 0 0 0
    Rate per 1000 Patient Days 0 0 0 0

     

  • Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)

    As SBGHC does not provide care for ventilated patients for more than 48 hours, we are not considered eligible to report on Ventilator Associated Pneumonia rates. Only hospitals with ICUs that ventilate patients for more than 48 hours are reporting this data.

    For more information on VAP, or to view VAP rates for other Ontario hospitals, please click on the link below.

    http://www.hqontario.ca/public-reporting/patient-safety 

  • Central Line Infection (CLI)

    At the present time, SBGHC is not eligible to report on central line infection rates. Only hospitals with ICUs that report into the government’s Critical Care Information System (CCIS), a centralized data collection system where hospitals report a variety of critical care information, are reporting this data.

    For more information on central line infections, or to view CLI rates for other Ontario hospitals, please click on the link below.

    http://www.hqontario.ca/public-reporting/patient-safety

  • Surgical Site Infections (SSI)

    Hospitals that perform hip and/or knee joint replacement surgeries are required by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to publicly report their surgical site infection prevention percentages. SBGHC does not perform these surgeries and is, therefore, considered ineligible to publicly report this information.

    For more information on surgical site infections, or to view SSI rates for other Ontario hospitals, please click on the link below.

    http://www.hqontario.ca/public-reporting/patient-safety

  • Hand Hygiene Compliance

    South Bruce Grey Health Centre is committed to protecting the health and safety of our patients, visitors, volunteers and staff. Our hand hygiene program is just one of many initiatives our Infection Control Team has implemented to help prevent the spread of infections.

    Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients, visitors and health care providers. When visiting our hospital, please make use of the waterless alcohol based hand rub that can be found throughout the hospital. It is the most effective way of cleaning your hands.

    Hand Hygiene Compliance rates are reported annually to the Ministry of Health and calculated based on compliance to the four moments of hand hygiene:

    1. Before initial patient/patient environment contact
    2. Before aseptic procedure
    3. After body fluid exposure risk
    4. After patient/patient environment
      contact

    For more information on hand hygiene, or to view hand hygiene compliance rates for other Ontario hospitals, please click on the link below.

    http://www.hqontario.ca/public-reporting/patient-safety

    Hand Hygiene Compliance 2022/23
    Quarter One  
    Apr-May-June 2022 93.75%
    Quarter Two  
    July-Aug-Sept 2022 89.36%
    Quarter Three  
    Oct-Nov-Dec 2022 92.86%
    Quarter Four  
    Jan-Feb-Mar 2023 85.83%
  • Surgical Safety Checklist

    The Surgical Safety Checklist (SSCL) is a patient safety communication tool used by the operating room team to facilitate team discussion and ensure that everyone is familiar with the case. The SSCL is an effective tool, as its impact expands beyond safe surgical processes to improvements in teamwork, communication and culture in the operating room.

    The checklist identifies three phases of an operation, each corresponding to a specific period in the normal flow of work: before the induction of anaesthesia (“sign in”), before the incision of the skin (“time out”) and before the patient leaves the operating room (“sign out”). In each phase, a checklist coordinator must confirm that the surgery team has completed the listed tasks before it proceeds with the operation.

    SBGHC is committed to supporting the SSCL, as it inspires enhanced patient safety and improved performance.  All patients having surgery at SBGHC can expect to have the checklist performed during their procedure.

    For more information on the SSCL, or to view SSCL reports for other Ontario hospitals, please click on the link below.

    http://www.hqontario.ca/public-reporting/patient-safety

     Surgical Safety Checklist

    2022-2023

    Quarter One  Apr-May-June 2022
    Kincardine N/A
    Walkerton 98.30%
    Quarter Two  July-Aug-Sept 2022
    Kincardine N/A
    Walkerton 98.25%
    Quarter Three  Oct-Nov-Dec 2022
    Kincardine N/A
    Walkerton 96.38%
    Quarter Four  Jan-Feb-Mar 2023
    Kincardine N/A
    Walkerton 98.89%
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