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Cleanlink News 3/16/2009

Hospital Infections Linked to Cleanliness


As seen in the Leader-Post. 

While handwashing is important, the key to fighting health-care associated infections (HAIs) is having well-trained housekeeping and infection control staff, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

“Since 2000 around the world, and including Canada, health-care acquired infections have been much more documented. It is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada,’’ said CUPE national president Paul Moist, who was in Regina Wednesday attending the provincial CUPE convention.

“Most Canadians are shocked to learn 8,000 to 12,000 Canadians die each year arising out of infections, which they have contracted within a health-care setting.’’

Earlier this month CUPE released a research paper, the first in Canada, documenting the correlation between health-care acquired infections — such as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), c. difficile, and VRE — and the level of cleanliness in acute-care hospital settings across Canada.

“Our study includes references from Europe where the level of cleanliness of the room the patient stays in, the curtains on the wall, the floors, the linen, the bed material, all contribute to HAIs which is a growing issue in Canada — something we are just starting to talk about,’’ Moist said.

The report noted that the incidence of MRSA in Canadian hospitals increased 17 per cent between 1995 and 2006. The rate of patients contracting C. difficile increased almost five-fold between 1991 and 2003.

The direct cost of HAIs in Canada are estimated to be $1 billion annually, not including the costs borne by patients, their caregivers and home and community care services, the report said.

The report, which draws a correlation between contracting out support services, the high employee turnover rates and the rising infection rates, recommends ending outsourcing housekeeping and other support services.

“Our mention at this convention and to the (Brad) Wall government is that there is nothing to be gained and much to be lost by going private,’’ Moist said.

“If the price tag for savings through privatization of health-care support services is an rapid increase in HAIs across Canada, it is penny wise and pound foolish to create a cleaning system in hospitals with a 100 per cent turnover each year.’’

The report’s key recommendations include: Investing in more cleaning and support staff, training and workforce stability, lower occupancy rates, mandatory cleaning standards, and monitoring and publicly reporting health-care acquired infections.


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