"An estimated one in nine Canadian patients develops a healthcare-associated infection during his or her hospital stay — a total of 220,000 patients per year. Further, an estimated 8,000 Canadians will lose their lives from these infections every year" (Zoutman et al, 2003). The cost of infections — more than $100 million annually in healthcare spending to treat C.difficile, MRSA and surgical site infections alone, plus tremendous emotional and financial tolls on patients, families and healthcare organizations — barely stirs a response (Njoo, 2014). For the safety of Canadians, this has to change.
Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Summit
Together the Canadian Patient Safety Institute and the
Public Health Agency of Canada hosted a national infection prevention and control (IPAC) summit in November 2014 in Toronto, Ontario. Over 40 participants came together to advance IPAC practices and reduce healthcare-associated infections in Canada. The themes arising from the summit are: culture and behavior change; partnering with patients and families; measurement and surveillance; applying knowledge and implementing standards; and sharing and developing standards/best practices/policies. The actions developed to galvanize change within those themes are captured in the summit report: An Infection Prevention and Control Action Plan.
Check back for progress updates on the Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Action Plan.
