Maple Ridge facility get one of the highest scores in the Fraser Health region

Fraser Health hospitals and long-term care facilities are cleaner than they have been in the past three years, according to an audit report on housekeeping released by the Ministry of Health.

The annual audit shows Fraser Health facilities scored an average of 87.44 per cent, up from 86.14 in 2005.

Ridge Meadows Hospital scored 89.15 per cent, one of the highest scores in the Fraser Health Authority’s jurisdiction.

The goal of the audits is to see that all hospitals meet a benchmark score of 85 in cleanliness so as to prevent the spread of infection and germs and to ensure comfort. Hospitals that do not meet the benchmark must make improvements in housekeeping practices and are re-audited after.

“Over all, we’re pleased there has been a progressive improvement in housekeeping over the last three years,” said Michael Bernard, a spokesperson for the Fraser Health.

The audits, performed by B.C. based company Westech Systems Inc., were done, unannounced, at each of the health facilities in the province between August 2007 and March 2008.

Auditors inspect the health facilities, treatment and operating rooms, equipment, beds, bathrooms, doors and anything else patients or workers come into contact with. Rooms and objects that are considered higher risk like operating rooms are given a heavier weight in the overall score and have higher standards for cleanliness than low-risk rooms like storage.

Bernard said he would like to see all hospitals in the region with perfect scores, but putting more finances into housekeeping would mean having to make cuts to patient care.

He added that housekeeping is not the only way to prevent the spread of infection.

“Research tells us that the No. 1 most important factor in preventing the spread of infections is hand-washing. If we can get a hand-washing score of 100 per cent, then we’d see the rate of infection going down. “

Only three hospitals in the Fraser Health Authority’s jurisdiction did not meet the bench mark score of 85. Burnaby Hospital scored 81.97 while MSA General Hospital in Abbotsford and Royal Columbian Hospital fell less than a percentage point below 85.

Fraser Health’s score of 87.44 was less than the 87.75 average of all health authorities B.C..

In March, Murray Hutchison, the Fraser Health’s director of housekeeping and laundry services, said he would like to see different firms compete for the housekeeping contract after he had received complains about inconsistent cleaning in Fraser Health hospitals. The current contract held by a French company Sodexho expires in December.