Defend Public Healthcare

More than 60% of doctor and nurse uniforms tested positive for potentially dangerous bacteria, according to a new study, Science Daily report s.  Researchers collected swab samples from the sleeve-ends and pockets of the uniforms of 75 registered nurses and 60 doctors at the Shaare Zedek  Medical Center in Jerusalem. They found 65% of nurse uniforms and 60% of doctor uniforms contained multi-drug-resistant pathogens (e.g. MRSA). The authors noted that more hand washing could help control uniform bacteria counts, as well as wearing a clean uniform every day, adequate laundering, using plastic aprons when necessary and even discarding white coats. "It is important to put these study results into perspective," said Russell Olmsted, president of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. "Any clothing that is worn by humans will become contaminated with microorganisms. The cornerstone of infection prevention remains the use of hand hygien

The Globe and Mail ran a very interesting Saturday cover story on plans to increase fresh, nutritious, local, and hospital cooked food at Scarborough Hospital. It deserves quotation. "People in power have begun to recognize the link between health and good food, and believe it should be heeded in a place that caters to the ailing. Paradoxically, hospital patients are fed some of the nation’s cheapest food – each meal costs less than three dollars per person. Much of it goes into the trash: About 40 per cent of what kitchens dish out is rejected. Administrators everywhere are struggling with this and low patient satisfaction; many admit they would never feed their families the low-budget food their kitchens serve to patients.... "The most tantalizing prospect involves adding fresh or local foods and returning to scratch cooking. Most Canadian hospitals have long since given up the basics, such as distilling soup stock from simmered bones, in favour of convenient powdered

While Kingston General Hospital has plowed on with its plan to ship in meals manufactured (and sealed-up) in a distant factory,  other hospitals are starting to make local food in their kitchens.   St. Joseph's Health Centre management in Guelph recently won an award from Ontario's Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation for being committed to high quality local food.   The satisfaction rate with food service at St. Joseph's rocketed to 87 per cent, compared to the provincial average of 60 per cent. The local hospital dietary manager, Leslie Carson, told the Guelph Mercury that the main way she moved the opinion meter on her facility's food was by moving away from ready-prepared food.  Six years ago, when she arrived at St. Joseph's, ready-prepared food was all it served. Very little food was prepared on site. Good or bad, it had no soul. Carson says staff took little pride in serving it. Having had nothing to do with its preparation, they had no owners