As a way of being more open and accountable to the public, all Ontario hospitals, including Guelph General Hospital, began the process of reporting their Patient Safety Indicators on Sept. 26, 2008. Many of these indicators relate to hospital-acquired infections and over the next nine months, a total of eight patient safety indicators will be reported on a monthly basis.

Our hospital strongly supports this new public reporting system because we believe it will inspire improved performance, enhance patient safety and strengthen the public’s confidence in Ontario’s hospitals. At the same time, it’s important to understand that the reporting of these rates is not the overall solution to reducing the rates of healthcare associated infections. The reports are tools to provide hospitals with good information to assist us in understanding where patient safety issues exist and help us to take action to improve our safety standards.

Our patients at Guelph General Hospital should know that their hospital is safe and every effort is made to ensure we provide quality patient-centred care.

Listed below are the indicators being rolled out over the next nine months. Click on the link for more information on the specific indicator. If you have any questions about the information posted or about our hospital’s infection prevention and control program, please call 519 837-6481 and leave a detailed message. Or, please email info@gghorg.ca. If you have any concerns relating to a specific personal health issue, please contact your family physician or call Telehealth Ontario at 1 866 797-0000.

* The rate is calculated as follows:

Number of new hospital acquired cases of C. difficile in the facility x   1000
Total number of patient days (for one month)

As a Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) candidate, Guelph General Hospital has committed to implementing Best Practice Guidelines developed by the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO). These guidelines incorporate research evidence into a guide for interdisciplinary practice related to specific patient conditions or clinical situations. Implementing these guidelines is a part of the Hospital's commitment to seek, share and sustain knowledge in order to improve patient care and satisfaction for our patients and staff.

Guelph General Hospital has already implemented six best practice guidelines:

• Risk Assessment and Prevention of Pressure Ulcers,
• Assessment and Management of Stage I to IV Pressure Ulcers,
• Care and Maintenance to Reduce Vascular Access Complications,
• Integrating Smoking Cessation into Daily Nursing Practice,
• Prevention of Falls and Fall Injuries in the Older Adult, and
• Woman Abuse: Screening, Identification and Initial Response.

Implementation of these guidelines has shown great success in improving the quality of patient care and brings the Hospital closer to achieving its Vision of "We will achieve excellence in everything we do."

Over the next three years, five additional guidelines will be implemented:

• Stroke Assessment Across the Continuum of Care,
• Breastfeeding Best Practice Guidelines for Nurses,
• Assessment and Management of Pain,
• Assessment and Management of Venous Leg Ulcers, and
• Workplace Health, Safety and Well-Being of the Nurse Guideline.

Clicking on any of the above links will open a copy of the Health Education Fact Sheet for the topic.