The health system should work to prevent sickness and improve the health of the people of Ontario.
The province should strive for world-class long-term care that improves residents’ health outcomes. Long-term care system planning, including capital development, should be population-focused and responsive to the needs of Ontarians. Homes should aim to meet the needs of their local communities by fostering strong community linkages.
Health Quality Ontario currently reports on one quality indicator for the focus on population health in long-term care. This indicator relates to infections. To learn more, click on the “Infections” tab above.
Percentage of residents with one or more infections
2013/14 provincial average:
10.7%
2012/13 provincial average:
11.0%
Infections
This indicator shows the percentage of long-term care residents who contracted a new infection (including respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, wound infections and others) in any given 90-day period.
Infections can lead to serious complications for residents, including hospitalization or even death. Infections require more health care resources, lead to antimicrobial resistance and pose a risk to the health of other residents, staff and families. The Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, requires all homes in Ontario to have an infection prevention and control program in place to detect and prevent the transmission of infections.