Lobby at Holland Bloorview 

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital has received the highest possible rating from Accreditation Canada for providing quality and safe care.

Accreditation Canada is an independent, not-for-profit organization that sets standards for safety and quality in healthcare. Accreditation is a voluntary peer review process for health care organizations across the nation that happens every three to four years.

From September 29 to October 2, Accreditation Canada conducted a comprehensive onsite review of Holland Bloorview, measuring practices against national standards. They also interviewed clients, community partners and board trustees.

The hospital received an overall rating of 100 per cent with Exemplary Standing.

Details noted in the accreditation report include the hospital’s family leadership program, strong governing body and strategic plans for the future. The report also praised the hospital’s modern and welcoming facility.

 “Holland Bloorview is proud to have earned this remarkable rating from Accreditation Canada,” says Sheila Jarvis, Holland Bloorview’s President and CEO. “We are committed to providing the best possible care for our young clients and their families and this rating recognizes the exceptional work we do every day.”

Researchers at the University of Maryland and American University have developed a framework to help prevent deadly infections in hospital patients. They found that a "sparse social network structure," where each patient encountered only a few care providers was correlated with low infection transmission rates.

Researchers Sean Barnes, Bruce Golden and Edward Wasil used computers simulating the interactions between patients and healthcare workers to determine how they helped spread infectious organisms. They manipulated and tracked the social network interactions in an intensive care unit, focusing on the interactions between patients and healthcare workers, primarily nurses.

In an effective sparse network, fewer patients share a nurse, whereas in a potentially harmful dense network, more patients share a nurse.

"The basic reality is that healthcare workers frequently cover for one another due to meetings, breaks and sick leave," said Barnes. "These factors, along with the operating health care-worker-to-patient ratios and patient lengths of stay, can significantly affect transmission in an ICU...But they also can be better controlled."

The researchers developed a framework based on making sure fewer nurses and doctors have contact with each patient, especially those at high risk of infection. This conceptual framework allows hospitals to model their social networks to predict and minimize the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

Barnes believes hospitals could adopt this framework. "The health care industry's electronic records movement could soon generate data that captures the structure of patient-healthcare worker interactions in addition to multiple competing, related factors that can affect MDRO transmission," he said.

Antibiotic-resistant bacterial transmissions affect one in 20 inpatients, cause tens of thousands of deaths yearly, and cost billions of dollars, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The study is called "Exploring the Effects of Network Structure and Healthcare Worker Behavior on the Transmission of Hospital-Acquired Infections" and appears in a recent issue of IIE Transactions on Healthcare Systems Engineering.

(Rendering courtesy Perkins+Wills)

Construction on the second phase of the $44.25 million expansion and renovation of St. Mary's Hospital in Vancouver is now complete.

The second phase included the addition of a new lobby and entrance way, which features three totem poles created by the Sechelt Indian Band.

"Sunshine Coast residents can feel proud of the many vital improvements to St. Mary's Hospital," said Jordan Sturdy, West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA. "This renovation and expansion will not only meet the needs of the Sunshine Coast's growing population, but it will also better enable staff to deliver the highest quality patient care in a much larger, more modern facility."

The renovation and expansion of the hospital was designed by Perkins+Will Canada. The first phase, a new 5,400 square metre tower, opened in March 2013. The final phase of construction will see the original building completely renovated.This is the first major renovation to St. Mary's Hospital in 24 years. The hospital was originally built in 1963 on land donated by the Sechelt First Nation, then expanded in 1977 and renovated in 1989. 

A new centre in Chilliwack will offer onsite health services and supportive housing to homeless people and those at risk of homelessness.

The Chilliwack Health and Housing Centre includes a 22 unit supportive housing section called the Annis Residences. These residences are managed and operated by the Pacific Community Resources Society (PCRS). The centre also includes a health contact centre where services will be offered by Fraser Health and PCRS. The health and housing centre is located in a two-storey former hotel on Chilliwack's Hocking Avenue.

In June, renovations on the building, including safety upgrades and the addition of kitchenettes to suites to create studio units were completed. Residents began moving into supportive housing units in September in a phased approach.

"A tremendous amount of time and effort by so many has gone into taking this centre from vision to reality. We are extremely pleased that the day has come for this development to open its doors and serve those most at risk in our community. I, for one, can't wait to see the difference this centre will make to our city," said Chilliwack's Mayor Sharon Gaetz.

The B.C. government contributed more than $3.5 million toward the centre's capital costs and about $230,000 in annual operation funding for the residential component.

"Our government believes that with strong partnerships we can create increased supportive housing options for people who are homeless or at risk, not only in our community but across the province. The Chilliwack Health and Housing Contact Centre is an excellent example of this, providing our community's most vulnerable with 22 apartments of supportive housing and health services in one centralized location," said John Martin, MLA Chilliwack.

The City of Chilliwack contributed $500,000 toward the project. The Real Estate Foundation of B.C. gave $50,000 toward the centre, while the Pacific Community Resource Society gave $50,000 in equity.

Toronto-based firm, Zeidler Partnership Architects will lead the planning, design and compliance aspects of the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital project.

The new hospital, located at Major Mackenzie Drive and Jane Street, will have a flexible design, which will allow the facility to adapt as new best practices emerge. Features of the new hospital include a state-of-the-art emergency department, modern surgical services and operating rooms, and specialized ambulatory clinics.

Zeidler Partnership Architects will establish guidelines and performance requirements that the successful building team must meet when preparing its designs. Zeidler will also monitor construction progress and provide coordination and oversight services throughout the project.

Following the planning phase, Infrastructure Ontario will issue a request for qualifications for a company to design, build, finance and maintain the project. The successful team will use an alternative financing and procurement model to transfer risks associated with the hospital project to the private sector.