A team of senior doctors at Burnaby Hospital says that the ongoing infection control problem in their facility - and the "ineffectual" response to it - is bad enough to be considered medical negligence.
That's just one charge in an extensive letter sent to the head of the Fraser Health Authority in early January, signed by the hospital's general pathologist and chair of the infection control committee Dr. Shane Kirby, and the heads of several hospital departments, including surgery, internal medicine and emergency.
NDP leader Adrian Dix and Burnaby MLA Kathy Corrigan questioned Health Minister Mike de Jong in the legislature this week about the situation after they received a copy of the letter.
Corrigan told the NOW yesterday that the number of cases of infection and death resulting from Clostridium difficile - a bacteria that causes diarrhea, fever and nausea - outlined in the letter are "astounding."
"The most shocking point in the letter is 84 (related) deaths and 473 cases in two-
and-a-half years," she said.
She also noted that infection outbreaks forced the closure of two units in 2011 - one for nine days in July and another for 12 days in late November and early December.
The letter says the "unacceptable rates" of C. difficile are a "significant, serious and sustained problem" that exceeds regional and national averages and has resulted in "significant morbidity and mortality."
The problem, say the doctors, arises from a number of issues, including an aging hospital facility, hospital overcrowding, a susceptible elderly patient population, inadequate hospital cleaning, and a lack of administrative organization and support.
The doctors also outlined 16 recommendations on how to improve the situation, including enhanced cleaning recommendations.
Cleaning staff at the hospital are employed by a private company but are members of the Hospital Employees' Union.
Union head Margi Blamey said the doctors are "right on" in their assessment.
"It's certainly not news to us and certainly not news to our members who do the cleaning at Burnaby Hospital," she told the NOW. "I think the doctors outlined things very, very clearly, and they're right on all those fronts."
The first step in improving the situation, said Blamey, is addressing staffing and workload. As well, she said that money spent now will save dollars later.
"It's cheaper to prevent an outbreak than it is to contain it. If we're looking for money savings, then the money up front for a workforce that is properly trained is going to save money later," she said. "Cutting corners ... is penny wise, pound foolish."
Dr. Andrew Webb, Fraser Health vice-president of medicine, told the The Vancouver Sun on Wednesday that they acknowledge there is a "high rate of Clostridium difficile in Burnaby" and that officials are working on the problem.
Those measure include isolating patients with the virus, increasing cleaning, and shutting down areas if necessary during an outbreak.
He also noted that Fraser Health recently got the results of an external review by an infectious disease expert, and received a number of recommendations which they're acting on now.
Additionally, Fraser Health issued a statement Thursday afternoon saying that the claim of 84 deaths was not accurate.
"Determining whether or not a C. difficile infection has contributed to a patient's death is extremely difficult. ... While 84 patients who had C. difficile infection may have died over that time period, it does not mean that CDI was the cause," reads the release. "In 2010-2011, there were 13 cases ... where (it) was believed to be a contributing factor. Of these 13 cases, eight patients were over the age of 80 and all cases had other complicating medical conditions."
The release also includes a comment from Webb stating that Burnaby Hospital "is a safe place to get healthcare services."
With files from Vancouver Sun. To read more, see www.vancouversun.com
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