Infection prevention and control (IPC) is critical for managing the threat of infections acquired in hospitals. The continual increase in micro-organisms resistant to antibiotic medications is a major threat to the health of Albertans. However, effective infection prevention and control strategies and judicious use of antibiotics may help slow the development of new forms of antibiotic-resistant organism and may even help control the spread of infections. Practices such as proper handwashing and cleaning of medical devices appear simple, yet they are highly effective in preventing the spread of infections.
The Department of Health has overall oversight of IPC, while AHS is responsible for developing and implementing appropriate processes and systems to manage the risk of infections in hospitals.
What we concluded
Both the department and AHS have made significant progress in infection prevention and control by implementing our recommendations. We saw meaningful change in key areas.