Joseph Brant Hospital Statement – Response to The Hamilton Spectator

May 28, 2019

Joseph Brant Hospital Statement – Response to The Hamilton Spectator

In the past two weeks stories have appeared in the media about complex pressure ulcers that include Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH). The Hamilton Spectator has reported on this story twice.

We are very sorry any time a patient experiences harm while under our care.  We are taking immediate action to address these issues more broadly, which we have outlined in the Pressure Ulcers Action Plan. This plan will guide the review and the improvement of pressure ulcers at Joseph Brant Hospital. 

We would like to ensure our community understands the Pressure Ulcer Action Plan that we have developed to address patient concerns, as well as our response to the reporting of the stories in The Hamilton Spectator. Today, published in The Hamilton Spectator, is our hospital’s Letter to the Editor:

May 28: Hospital responds to bedsore story and other letter to the editor

Comments that hospital staff may be criminally negligent is irresponsible and unfair, writes Joseph Brant Hospital President Eric Vandewall and Chief of Staff Dr. Ian Preyra.

Joseph Brant Hospital’s detailed review on pressure ulcers will be completed this week, and we will be meeting again with the families involved to discuss the findings directly, writes Joseph Brant Hospital President Eric Vandewall and Chief of Staff Dr. Ian Preyra. - John Rennison, The Hamilton Spectator

Hospital responds to bedsore story

RE: Bedsores (May 25)

Thank you for helping inform your readers of the Pressure Ulcers Action Plan that we are implementing at Joseph Brant Hospital.

However, with respect to a comment in the story from a third party who has no direct knowledge of recent events, for them to suggest that hospital staff may be criminally negligent is irresponsible and unfair. Further, the suggestion that Ontario nurses lack the necessary education and training to care for patients is inaccurate and disrespectful to front-line health care workers, whose dedication to their patients form the cornerstone of our health care system.

It's important for the community to know that as set out in our Pressure Ulcers Action Plan, our clinical teams conducted our latest Prevalence and Incidence Study on Friday, which involved an evaluation of each in-patient at JBH to identify any possible pressure ulcers. We will be releasing the results of this review later this week.

With respect to individual cases upon which you have been reporting, our detailed review will be completed this week, and we will be meeting again with the families involved to discuss the findings directly.

In our ongoing commitment to transparency, we will continue to update the community on our Pressure Ulcers Action Plan as we move forward.

Eric Vandewall President & CEO, Dr. Ian Preyra Chief of Staff

https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/9393319-may-28-hospital-responds-to-bedsore-story-and-other-letter-to-the-editor/

We are committed to being open and transparent with our community. In that spirit, we will continue to share our evolving plans, findings and performance with the media and the community. We are also committed to providing leadership in raising awareness of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers and will incorporate our learnings into the improvement of our daily practices. 

We remain confident in the ongoing care that our staff provides to the people that we serve, each and every day.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we address these issues.   

Sincerely,

Eric Vandewall                                                                      Dr. Ian Preyra

President and CEO                                                               Chief of Staff

Joseph Brant Hospital                                                           Joseph Brant Hospital