Vancouver Coastal Health Letter
Vancouver Coastal Health Letter
Vancouver Coastal Health Letter
We write today with some information about your recent care with us. There
is no specific action suggested for you and we believe there to be no cause
for concern; we are advising you because Vancouver Coastal Health is
committed to quality and safety and to being transparent.
Between November 10th 14th, four of the five pumps normally supplying
detergent to the machines known as washer/ disinfectors at Lions Gate
Hospital were not consistently receiving power and therefore not known to
be working as they normally would. However, the rest of the process took
place as usual. Instruments were taken apart, prewashed in a detergent
solution and then the washer/ disinfector. All instruments were mechanically
washed - a step that normally involves detergent but for these few days may
not have involved detergent - followed by a stage of thermal disinfection
(that is, involving high heat). The rest of the reprocessing continued as usual
including visual inspection, packaging, and finally sterilizing at a very high
heat.
If you or your physician have any questions or concerns and wish to speak
with someone, please feel free to contact the VCH Patient Care Quality Office
at toll-free 1-877-993-9199, pressing 4 at the prompt, by email pcqo@vch.ca
or by fax 1-888-865-2941.
Karin Olson
Chief Operating Officer
Coastal Community of Care