Effective Sept 3 – Medical masks are required in patient-facing areas of our hospitals, such as emergency departments, clinics, waiting rooms, diagnostic imaging, and inpatient units (including while visiting patients in their rooms). Masks are available at hospital entrances. Please do not visit patients if you have symptoms of illness.
Quinte Health is dedicated to the delivery of high-quality, safe, and reliable care to the patients and families we serve. We are accountable for and committed to providing care and services to our patients whereby:
Patient care is provided in the safest environments possible that reduce the likelihood of errors or harm.
The care we provide is evidence-based and exemplifies the most effective use of knowledge and resources.
Access to care is both timely and efficient to support patients in maintaining their optimal health.
Patients are partners with us in their care. We value everyone’s unique journey and ensure we take a ‘nothing about us without us’ approach.
Patients and families are partners in the delivery of quality patient care and have an important role to play in patient safety.
The Ontario Hospital Association has created five common-sense patient safety tips to help patients make informed decisions about their health care:
Be involved in your health care. Speak up if you have questions or concerns about your care.
Tell a member of your health care team about your past illnesses and your current health condition.
Bring all of your medicines with you when you go to the hospital or to a medical appointment.
Tell a member of your health care team if you have ever had an allergic or bad reaction to any medicine or food.
Make sure you know what to do when you go home from the hospital or from your medical appointment.
An infection prevention and control program is extremely important to patient safety since the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria – MRSA, CPO and C. difficile – are a reality of health care delivery today. In recognition of this, Quinte Health uses aggressive infection control procedures, including:
Heightened surveillance by frontline staff and physicians, coordinated by a dedicated infection control team;
Increased frequency and intensity of cleaning in all patient care areas;
Dedicated medical equipment, whenever possible, for patients who may have an infectious disease or be colonized with antibiotic-resistant bacteria;
Cohorting of patients who have an infectious disease or are suspected to have one;
A corporate-wide hand hygiene program;
Increased education for staff, physicians, patients, and their families; and
Development of an antibiotic stewardship program to evaluate the appropriateness of antibiotic use.
For public reporting of Patient Safety Indicators in Ontario, visit Health Quality Ontario.
