Our hospital is committed to keeping patients safe and reducing the risk of surgical site infections (SSIs). An SSI occurs at the site of a surgical incision. Germs can get into the incision area and cause an infection. It can develop within 30 days of an operation, or sometimes even up to one year if an implant (such as a knee or hip joint implant) is used. Infections can be minor, or occasionally they can increase complications that result in a longer length of stay in the hospital, or an increased readmission rate for patients. Sometimes when patients are admitted to the hospital, they can get infections. These are called health care-associated infections. Post-operative SSIs are the most common health care-associated infections in surgical patients. If you have any questions about our hospital’s infection prevention and control program, please contact us.
One of the most important ways we prevent infection is by giving patients antibiotics at the right time before surgery. This is called timely antibiotic prophylaxis, and it helps protect patients during and after their procedure. Ontario hospitals are required to publicly report timely antibiotic administration rates for hip and knee replacement surgeries. This supports transparency, accountability, and quality improvement across the healthcare system. Our Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) team internally monitors tracks infection rates for all:
- Total hip replacement surgeries
- Total knee replacement surgeries
- Total shoulder replacement surgeries
- Caesarean sections (C-sections)
- Hysterectomies
To review these rates, please click here patient safety indicators