Infection Control Reports

What does this indicator measure?

This indicator shows the number of times that hand hygiene was performed before and after contact with the patient, or the patient environment, divided by the number of observed hand hygiene opportunities for before and after patient/patient environment contact, and multiplied by 100.

There are a number of practices at BGH in place to help prevent and control infections, including a comprehensive hand hygiene program. All Ontario hospitals are required to annually post their hand hygiene compliance rates. To further promote accountability and transparency within the health system BGH will post their hand hygiene compliance rates quarterly via our website.

What is hand hygiene?

Hand hygiene is the removal of visible soil or killing of microorganisms from the hands and may be accomplished using soap and running water or an alcohol-based hand rub. Bacteria that can cause infection can move from patient to patient on the hands of healthcare workers.

Hand hygiene is an important practice for health-care providers but also involves everyone in the hospital, including patients, families and visitors. Effective hand hygiene practices in hospitals play a key role in improving patient and provider safety, and in preventing the spread of health care-associated infections. Like many Ontario hospitals, BGH has implemented the provincial Just Clean Your Hands campaign to help improve Hand Hygiene compliance.

Brockville General Hospital Hand Hygiene Compliance

What does this indicator measure?

This indicator shows the rate per 1,000 patient days, which is the number of patients newly diagnosed with hospital-associated Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI), divided by the number of patient days in that month, multiplied by 1,000. The case count is the number of patients with hospital-associated CDI during a calendar month. Brockville General Hospital reports rates of Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) on the last day of each month via our website.

What is C. difficile?

C. difficile is a bacterium that can either live in the bowel, as part of normal bowel flora, without causing harm, or it can cause an infection (diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain). Infection can occur when a person has been on antibiotics. The antibiotics can upset the normal balance of the bowel, leading to Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI.)

Learn more about C. difficile

Brockville General Hospital Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI)

What does this indicator measure?

This indicator shows the rate per 1,000 patient days which is the number of patients newly diagnosed with hospital-associated MRSA bacteremia (bloodstream infection), divided by the number of patient days in that month, and multiplied by 1,000. The case count is the number of patients with hospital-associated MRSA bacteremia during the reporting period. Brockville General Hospital reports rates of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia quarterly (every three months) via its website.

What is MRSA bacteremia?

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a type of bacteria that lives on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy people. When S. aureusdevelops resistance to certain antibiotics, it is called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. MRSA can either live on the skin or mucous membranes (e.g. nose) of a person without causing harm (called colonization), or it can enter the body through artificial openings (e.g. wounds, IV lines) and cause infections like bloodstream infections. MRSA infections can be challenging to treat because the bacteria are resistant to some antibiotics. A bacteremia is the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream and is referred to as a bloodstream infection.

Brockville General Hospital Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Bacteremias

What does this indicator measure?

This indicator shows the rate per 1,000 patient days which is the number of patients newly diagnosed with hospital-associated Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) bacteremia, divided by the number of patient days in that month, and multiplied by 1,000. The case count is the number of patients with hospital-associated VRE bacteremia during the reporting period. Brockville General Hospital will report its rates of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) bacteremia quarterly (every three months) via its website.

What is VRE Bacteremia?

Enterococci are bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal tract (bowels) of most individuals and generally do not cause harm. Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) are strains of the enterococci bacteria that are resistant to the antibiotic Vancomycin. VRE can either live in the bowel of a person without causing harm (called colonization), or it can enter the body through artificial openings (e.g. wounds, IV lines) and cause infections like blood stream infections. VRE infections can be challenging to treat because the bacteria can be resistant to some antibiotics. A bacteremia is the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream and is referred to as a bloodstream infection.

Learn more about VRE

Brockville General Hospital Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) Bacteremia

What does this indicator measure?

This indicator shows the total number of patients who received antibiotics within the appropriate time period prior to surgery divided by the total number of surgical patients during the reporting period, and multiplied by 100. Included are patients 18 years or older having primary hip or knee joint replacement surgery, including total, partial or hemiarthroplasty. Brockville General Hospital will publicly report their Surgical Site Infection (SSI) prevention percentage on our website each quarter (every three months).

Why is this important to measure?

Surgical Site Infection (SSI) can occur when germs enter the patient's body through the surgical site. Surgical site infections can be superficial infections involving the skin only. Other surgical site infections are more serious and can involve tissues under the skin, including organs. One way to prevent surgical site infection is to give patients antibiotics at a certain time just before surgery. The goal is to ensure that one of the most important steps in preventing SSIs is being used.

Brockville General Hospital Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Prevention