The Fraser Health Authority says a claim by Burnaby hospital doctors that C-Difficile bacteria is responsible for 84 patient deaths over the past 2 1/2 years is wrong.
Fraser Health VP of Medicine Dr. Andrew Webb says its difficult to say whether C-Difficile caused a patient’s death.
But in 2010-2011, that bacteria was a contributing factor in 13 deaths, 8 from people over the age of 80, who had other complications.
Webb said “we have been working since 2009 on an improvement plan which has been succesful in that we’ve seen a 40% reduction in C-Difficile rates since then.”
Webb says as an older site, Burnaby hospital has fewer isolation rooms and hand washing sinks, and older human waste disposal systems.
About The Reporter
