Infection Prevention and Control

That sound you hear daily at 4:15 p.m. outside the JGH’s Pavilion K is Cantor Henry Granek blowing a shofar, a ram’s horn normally heard in synagogues on the Jewish New Year. Its sounds are now offered as a symbolic thank-you to staff for their fight against COVID-19.

Coping with the high volume of emergency patients and preventing the spread of infection were the focus of attention on June 25 during a visit to the JGH by Danielle McCann, Minister of Health and Social Services.

In its first network-wide accreditation, CIUSSS West-Central Montreal has achieved an impressive score of 96.3 per cent, along with praise for its strong commitment and focus on the needs of its patients, clients and residents.

The rate of C. difficile infection among hospitalized patients drops dramatically when all patients are tested for the bacteria before being admitted to hospital, says a clinical study headed by a JGH physician and researcher.

Pavilion K has become the new home of Intensive Care, Coronary Care, Neonatal Intensive Care, the Family Birthing Centre, the operating rooms and numerous other units and services.

Just weeks since it swung into operation, Pavilion K already appears to be improving the well-being of patients and the quality of their care.

A focused commitment to combatting C. difficile at the JGH has led to a steep drop in infection rates, thanks in large part to efforts spearheaded by the Department of Nursing.