Infection Prevention & Control

The goal of the Infection Prevention & Control program is to decrease health-care associated infections.

This program helps ensure the protection of patients, staff, volunteers, and visitors from preventable hospital aquired infections through activities like surveillance, educations, consultation, outbreak investigation and management, and the development of policies and procedures to help reinforce best practices in Infection Prevention and Control.

Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps in preventing infections. Your health care team plays a big role in preventing the spread of infection. They are committed to giving you clean, safe care.

When you come to the hospital, hand cleaning is your job too. Whether you are a patient or a visitor, do your part to prevent germs from spreading. Make sure you clean your hands often using alochol based hand rub or soap and water, especially before and after eating, after using the washroom or after sneezing or coughing

Occasionally, special steps must be taken to ensure the protection of patients and staff, called “Additional Precautions”, formerly known as “isolation”. Visitors may be limited or asked to participate with these additional precautions by wearing a gown, mask or gloves.

It is important to remember when isolation is necessary; it is done to isolate the “bug” and not the person.

For more information about patient safety in the health care setting, visit the OHA's website.