Infection Prevention and Control

Preventing the spread of infections to keep patients safe is a cornerstone of our commitment to patient safety.  Statistics show that about five to seven percent of patients admitted to hospital develop a preventable and even deadly hospital-acquired infection such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile).

These hospital-acquired infections are called nosocomial infections.  It is important to monitor for these types of infections because we do not want them to spread between patients or from patient to visitor.

Patients who are older, have weak immune systems, and/or have been in hospital for a long time, are particularly vulnerable. Infections are often transmitted through touch.  This is why proper and thorough hand washing is so important.

We all play an important role in ensuring we keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy. Keeping our hands clean is a simple and effective way to do this.  Please use the alcohol-based hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the hospital, when you visit a patient.

Find out more about Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare's public reporting of key indicators for Infection Prevention and Control.