Niagara Health beats C. difficile
Friday, February 10, 2012
Natalie Hamilton
From using ultraviolet light to consulting with a leading infectious disease expert, the Niagara Health System has triumphed over C. difficile.
The Ontario hospital announced Feb. 9 the outbreak is over at its Greater Niagara General Site.
Throughout the outbreak, the hospital deployed numerous best-practice infection prevention and control strategies and will continue to do so, says NHS interim president and CEO Dr. Sue Matthews.
“We will continue to be vigilant with our infection prevention and control practices,” Matthews states.
“We remain committed to working to our fullest capacity each day to maintain a quality and safe patient environment.”
Last week, Axiom News reported NHS had introduced a UV light disinfectant system as an extra measure for cleaning surfaces in patient rooms. The hospital is trialing the infection prevention and control measure for a three-month period at the Greater Niagara General Site.
NHS is also using a new trigger system for quick response to suspected C. difficile cases, has moved to genetic testing for the superbug and has stopped the practice of cohorting patients.
The hospital will continue to collaborate with Dr. Michael Gardam, a recognized expert in Canada for infectious disease.
“Over the last several months, we’ve made many important infection prevention and control improvements, which have been embedded into our daily routine,” Matthews adds.
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