Healthcare associated infections are an unwelcome reality in modern health care settings across the globe. Prevention and control of these infections in hospitals is a priority for Ontario and is key to keeping patients safe. The government of Ontario has developed this site to keep the public informed on patient safety related issues at the province's hospitals. By April 2009, it will report on eight different topics relating to patient safety at Ontario hospitals:

• Clostridium Difficile Associated Disease (CDAD)
  C. difficile is a bacteria that causes infectious diarrhea and that can spread in health care settings. Find out about C. difficile rates in Ontario hospitals.

• Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
  MRSA is a bacterium that can cause infections and that can spread in a health care settings. Find out about MRSA rates in Ontario hospitals.

• Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE)
  VRE is a bacterium that causes difficult-to-treat infections, and that can spread in health care settings. Find out about VRE rates in Ontario hospitals.

• Hospital Standardized Mortality Ratio (HSMR)
  Read about HSMR and how it is calculated in Ontario hospitals.

• Central-Line Primary Blood Stream Infection (CLI)
• Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP)
• Surgical Site Infection Prevention
• Hand Hygiene Compliance