REGINA — Hospitals in Regina are not meeting hand hygiene compliance rates.
According to a 2026 audit by provincial auditor Tara Clemett, 26 of 60 units in Regina hospitals did not meet the required 80 per cent compliance rate for hand hygiene.
The rate was established by the SHA in 2024 following a 2018 provincial auditor’s report that found compliance numbers were well below targets.
“Compliance rate of hospital staff with the hand-hygiene policy was consistently below the target of 100 per cent, and could, in actuality, be lower than reported,” said former provincial auditor Judy Ferguson.
Ferguson noted that up to 70 per cent of hospital-acquired infections are preventable.
She added widespread infections can prolong patients’ hospital stays while increasing treatment costs.
To prevent infections, the SHA mandated units reporting below 80 per cent compliance rates take certain measures as part of a corrective action plan developed in 2024.
If a unit’s compliance rate falls between 70 and 79 per cent, the SHA requires managers to complete one corrective action, such as having staff review the hand-hygiene policy.
If compliance drops to 69 per cent or lower for one quarter, unit managers must complete two corrective actions.
These may include conducting hand-hygiene observations over four weeks, having staff review hand-hygiene scenarios, and identifying factors contributing to non-compliance.
If a unit’s compliance rate remains at 69 per cent or lower for two consecutive quarters, managers are required to complete three corrective actions.
Despite having measures in place, Clemett’s audit found two Regina hospital units with compliance rates below 80 per cent where hospital staff did not complete corrective action plans.
SHA response
In a statement sent to SaskToday, the SHA said ensuring hospitals are clean and safe for visitors, patients and staff is a top priority.
"Hand hygiene is a foundational patient safety practice and is supported at the SHA through a provincial policy, education, auditing and quality improvement initiatives," the statement said.
"Maintaining and improving hand hygiene compliance remains a priority across the organization. The Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) team supports the monitoring of compliance rates across all hospital units and mandates annual hand hygiene and infection prevention training for all SHA employees, regardless of role."
As part of that work, the provincial Hand Hygiene Policy outlines expectations for all team members and their participation in hand hygiene. It also specifies when hand hygiene is required to help reduce the spread of infection.
The SHA said outbreaks of infection in hospitals cannot be attributed to a single cause.
"Outbreaks in health care settings are complex events and can be caused by a variety of infectious organisms," the statement said.
"Multiple factors are considered during outbreak investigations and, as a result, it is not possible to attribute an outbreak to a single factor such as hand hygiene alone."
Looking ahead, the SHA said it will continue reviewing its policies and holding staff accountable to its standards.
"The SHA will continue to reinforce accountability measures, support staff learning, and work with clinical teams to improve compliance and patient safety outcomes," the statement said.
"Compliance rates will be regularly monitored, and hospital units with hand hygiene compliance rates below 80 per cent will be required to undergo a corrective course of action within an established timeline."
