Interpretation Note
The provincial average for the fiscal year 2024/25 should be interpreted with caution due to a low number of hospitals that submitted data.
Hand Washing by Hospital Care Providers
This indicator measures compliance by hospital care providers with best practices for washing hands with soap and running water or cleaning hands with antibacterial gel. A higher percentage is better. Results are based on audits using direct observation of hand hygiene practices, or on electronic monitoring of hand hygiene compliance.
For hospitals where direct observation was used, two results are reported separately, one for compliance before patient contact and one for after. For hospitals where electronic monitoring was used, one result is reported that measures overall compliance on all the occasions when hand washing should have been performed. Provincial results include only those hospitals where direct observation was used.
Select Location:
Provincial ×
2025/26
Before patient contact
85.0%
compliance with hand washing best practices
After patient contact
88.7%
compliance with hand washing best practices
Compare results across hospitals:
| Hospital name | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Ontario | 88.7 |
| Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Holland Orthopaedic & Arthritic Centre | 41.8 |
| Casey House | 56.9 |
| Unity Health Toronto-St. Michael's | 63.3 |
| Unity Health Toronto-St. Joseph's | 65.9 |
| Sioux Lookout Meno-Ya-Win Health Centre - Zone | 69.1 |
| Geraldton District Hospital | 71.1 |
| Peterborough Regional Health Centre | 71.8 |
| Brockville General Hospital | 73.8 |
| Almonte General Hospital | 76.4 |
| Atikokan General Hospital | 76.4 |
| Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital | 76.6 |
| Deep River And District Hospital | 77.5 |
| Hamilton Health Sciences Corp-West Lincoln | 77.7 |
| Halton Healthcare Services Corp-Georgetown | 78.0 |
| Niagara Health System - St Catharines General | 78.0 |
| The Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital | 78.3 |
| Niagara Health System-Port Colborne Site | 78.6 |
| Hamilton Health Sciences Corp-Juravinski | 78.8 |
| Kingston Health Sciences Centre-Hotel Dieu | 79.1 |
| Ross Memorial Hospital | 79.2 |
| Cambridge Memorial Hospital | 79.5 |
| Kingston Health Sciences Centre-Kingston General | 79.9 |
| Collingwood General and Marine Hospital | 80.3 |
| Unity Health Toronto - Providence | 80.3 |
| North Wellington Health Care - Mount Forest | 80.4 |
| Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - St. John's Rehab Hospital Site | 80.9 |
| Niagara Health System-Greater Niagara | 81.0 |
| St. Joseph's Care Group - St. Joseph's Hospital | 81.4 |
| Brightshores Health System-Meaford Site | 81.7 |
| Ottawa Hospital (The)-General Site | 82.5 |
| Royal Ottawa Health Care Group - Brockville Mental Health Centre | 83.1 |
| Hamilton Health Sciences Corp-General | 83.9 |
| Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare-Bracebridge | 83.9 |
| Haliburton Highlands Health Services Corporation - Haliburton | 83.9 |
| Sinai Health System-Mount Sinai Site | 84.2 |
| Bruyere Continuing Care Inc. - Élisabeth Bruèyre Hospital | 84.6 |
| Bruyere Continuing Care Inc. - Saint-Vincent Hospital | 85.2 |
| North Wellington Health Care - Palmerston | 85.5 |
| Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital | 85.6 |
| South Bruce Grey Health Centre-Chesley | 85.8 |
| University Health Network-Western Site | 86.6 |
| Niagara Health System-Fort Erie Douglas Site | 86.8 |
| Brightshores Health System-Southampton Site | 86.8 |
| Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation - McMaster | 87.0 |
| Ottawa Hospital (The)-Civic Site | 87.2 |
| Southlake Regional Health Centre | 87.5 |
| Lake-of-the-Woods District Hospital | 87.5 |
| Niagara Health System-Welland County | 87.7 |
| North Bay Regional Health Centre | 87.7 |
| Oak Valley Health | 87.9 |
| Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare-Huntsville | 88.1 |
| Sault Area Hospital-Sault Ste. Marie | 88.2 |
| Southlake Regional Health Centre - RCC Church | 88.3 |
| University Health Network-General Site | 88.6 |
| The Ottawa Hospital - The Rehab Centre | 89.0 |
| Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital | 89.5 |
| Brightshores Health System-Owen Sound Site | 89.5 |
| Four Counties Health Services Corporation | 89.6 |
| Providence Care Centre - Mental Health Services | 90.1 |
| University Health Network - Hillcrest/University | 90.3 |
| William Osler Health System-Etobicoke Site | 90.4 |
| Cornwall Community Hospital | 90.4 |
| Halton Healthcare Services Corp-Milton | 90.4 |
| Quinte Health-Bancroft | 90.5 |
| Quinte Health-Belleville | 90.6 |
| Groves Memorial Community Hospital | 90.7 |
| Centre for Addiction and Mental Health-Queen Street Site | 90.8 |
| University Health Network - Toronto Rehab Institute: Lyndhurst Site | 90.8 |
| Haldimand War Memorial Hospital | 90.8 |
| Lady Dunn Health Centre | 90.9 |
| Kemptville District Hospital | 91.1 |
| Thunder Bay Regional Hlth Sciences Ctr | 91.2 |
| Brant Community Healthcare Sys-Brantford | 91.3 |
| University Health Network - Toronto Rehab Institute: Bickle Centre | 91.3 |
| Campbellford Memorial Hospital | 91.5 |
| Pembroke Regional Hospital Inc. | 91.8 |
| Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare - Dr. Y. Emara Centre | 92.0 |
| Mackenzie Health - Richmond Hill | 92.1 |
| Sinai Health System - Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital Site | 92.4 |
| Quinte Health-Picton | 92.4 |
| University Health Network-Princess Marg | 92.6 |
| Trillium Health Partners-Queensway Hlth | 92.8 |
| Services De Sante De Chapleau Health Services | 93.2 |
| Hospital for Sick Children (The) | 93.2 |
| Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare - Dr. Fouad Tayfour Regional Rehab Centre | 93.3 |
| Queensway-Carleton Hospital | 93.3 |
| St. Francis Memorial Hospital | 93.4 |
| Trillium Health Partners-Credit Valley | 93.8 |
| Halton Healthcare Services Corp-Oakville | 93.8 |
| Baycrest Hospital (North York) | 93.9 |
| Trillium Health Partners-Mississauga | 93.9 |
| Chatham-Kent Health Alliance-Chatham | 94.4 |
| Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation - St. Peter's Hospital | 94.8 |
| Homewood Health Centre Inc. | 94.9 |
| Royal Ottawa Health Care Group - Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre | 94.9 |
| Smooth Rock Falls Hospital | 95.0 |
| St. Joseph's Health Care Hamilton - West 5th Campus | 95.0 |
| St. Joseph's Health Care London - Parkwood Institute's Main Building | 95.2 |
| Runnymede Healthcare Centre | 95.2 |
| Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre | 95.2 |
| Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare - Toldo Neurobehavioural Inst. | 95.3 |
| Riverside Health Care Facilities Inc. - Emo Site | 95.5 |
| St. Joseph's Health Care London - Parkwood Institute's Mental Health Care Building | 95.6 |
| Riverside Health Care Facilities Inc. - Rainy River | 95.6 |
| Humber River Health-Wilson Site | 95.6 |
| Oak Valley Health - Cottage Hospital Site | 95.7 |
| St. Joseph's Health Care System-Hamilton | 95.8 |
| MacKenzie Health - Mackenzie Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital | 96.0 |
| Salvation Army Toronto Grace Health Centre | 96.1 |
| West Park Healthcare Centre | 96.1 |
| South Bruce Grey Health Centre-Walkerton | 96.3 |
| Erie Shores Healthcare | 96.3 |
| Hopital Montfort | 96.5 |
| Brightshores Health System-Lions Head Site | 96.6 |
| Temiskaming Hospital | 96.6 |
| Riverside Health Care Facilities Inc. - La Verendrye | 96.9 |
| St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital | 97.4 |
| Brightshores Health System-Wiarton Site | 97.5 |
| William Osler Health System-Civic Site | 97.5 |
| St. Joseph's Health Care London - South West Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care - St. Thomas Site | 98.0 |
| Hanover and District Hospital | 98.2 |
| Waypoint Centre For Mental Health Care - Regional | 98.2 |
| Humber River Health - Church Site | 98.6 |
| Espanola General Hospital | 98.9 |
| Quinte Health-Trenton | 99.1 |
| Waypoint Centre For Mental Health Care - Oakridge | 99.8 |
| Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital | 100.0 |
| Lennox and Addington County Gen Hospital | 100.0 |
| Brightshores Health System-Markdale Site | 100.0 |
| North Bay Regional Health Centre - Kirkwood Place | 100.0 |
| Chatham-Kent Health Alliance-Wallaceburg | 100.0 |
| Dryden Regional Health Centre | 100.0 |
| St. Joseph's Health Care, London | 100.0 |
| South Bruce Grey Health Centre-Durham | 100.0 |
| South Bruce Grey Health Centre-Kincardine | 100.0 |
| St. Mary's General Hospital | NC |
| Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance : St. Marys Memorial Hospital | NC |
| South Huron Hospital | NC |
| St. Joseph's General Hospital | NC |
| St. Joseph's Health Centre Guelph | NC |
| St. Joseph's Continuing Care Centre Of Sudbury | NC |
| Stevenson Memorial Hospital Alliston | NC |
| Stratford General Hospital | NC |
| North of Superior Healthcare Group - Wilson Memorial General Hospital | NC |
| Winchester District Memorial Hospital | NC |
| Windsor Regional Hospital-Metropolitan Campus | NC |
| Wingham And District Hospital | NC |
| Woodstock Hospital | NC |
| West Parry Sound Health Centre | NC |
| West Nipissing General Hospital | NC |
| University Of Ottawa Heart Institute | NC |
| Weeneebayko Area Health Authority - Attawapiskat Site | NC |
| Weeneebayko Area Health Authority - Fort Albany Site | NC |
| Weeneebayko Area Health Authority - Moose Factory Site | NC |
| West Haldimand General Hospital | NC |
| Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital | NC |
| Timmins and District Hospital | NC |
| Children's Hospital Of Eastern Ontario | NC |
| Clinton Public Hospital | NC |
| Bluewater Health-Charlotte Eleanor Englehart (Petrolia) | NC |
| Bluewater Health - Sarnia General Site | NC |
| Alexandra Hospital | NC |
| Alexandra Marine and General Hospital | NC |
| Lakeridge Health - Ajax Site | NC |
| Bingham Memorial Hospital | NC |
| Blanche River Health - Englehart | NC |
| Blanche River Health - Kirkland | NC |
| Anson General Hospital | NC |
| Arnprior Regional Health | NC |
| Guelph General Hospital | NC |
| Georgian Bay General Hosp-Midland Site | NC |
| Glengarry Memorial Hospital | NC |
| Grand River Hospital Corporation - Freeport Site | NC |
| Grand River Hospital Corp-Waterloo Site | NC |
| Joseph Brant Hospital | NC |
| Windsor Regional Hospital - Ouellette Campus | NC |
| Hopital Notre Dame Hospital (Hearst) | NC |
| Hornepayne Community Hospital | NC |
| Hawkesbury and District General Hospital | NC |
| Headwaters Health Care Centre - Dufferin | NC |
| Health Sciences North - Sudbury Mental Health and Addictions Centre | NC |
| Health Sciences North-Laurentian | NC |
| Listowel Memorial Hospital | NC |
| London Hlth Sciences Ctr-University Hosp | NC |
| London Hlth Sciences Ctr-Victoria Hosp | NC |
| Manitoulin Health Centre - Little Current | NC |
| Manitoulin Health Centre - Mindemoya Unit | NC |
| Sante Manitouwadge Health | NC |
| The Lady Minto Hospital | NC |
| Lakeridge Health-Bowmanville Site | NC |
| Lakeridge Health-Oshawa Site | NC |
| Lakeridge Health-Port Perry Site | NC |
| Lakeridge Health - Whitby Site | NC |
| Mattawa General Hospital | NC |
| North of Superior Healthcare Group - McCausland Hospital | NC |
| Nipigon District Memorial Hospital | NC |
| Norfolk General Hospital | NC |
| North York General Hospital | NC |
| Northumberland Hills Hospital | NC |
| Ontario Shores Centre For Mental Health Sciences | NC |
| Perth & Smiths Falls Dist-Perth Site | NC |
| Perth & Smiths Falls Dist-Smiths Falls Site | NC |
| Scarborough Health Network-Centenary Site | NC |
| Renfrew Victoria Hospital | NC |
| Hotel Dieu Hospital - Cornwall (St. Joseph's Continuing Care Centre) | NC |
| Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre | NC |
| Scarborough Health Network-Scar.Gen.Site | NC |
| Scarborough Health Network-Birchmount Site | NC |
| Seaforth Community Hospital | NC |
| Sensenbrenner Hospital | NC |
| North Shore Health Network - Blind River Site | 0.0 |
| William Osler Health System-Peel Memorial | 0.0 |
| North Shore Health Network - Thessalon Site | 0.0 |
Percentage of occasions before patient contact on which hospital care providers complied with hand washing best practices, in Ontario, 2012/13 to 2025/26
Data source: Health Data Collection Service since April 2024. The Self Reporting Initiative prior to April 2024. Ministry of Health.
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Indicators
Indicator Description
This indicator measures the percentage of health care providers who comply with hand hygiene best practices before and after initial patient or patient environment contact.
Interpretation (for example, directionality)
A higher percentage is better
Definition and Source Information
Statistic and Unit of Measurement
Percentage
Numerator
Number of times hand hygiene is performed before initial patient or patient environment contact
Number of times hand hygiene is performed after initial patient or patient environment contact
Numerator Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
Inclusions:
- All publicly funded hospitals
- Inpatient settings
Denominator
Number of observed hand hygiene opportunities before initial patient or patient environment contact
Number of observed hand hygiene opportunities after initial patient or patient environment contact
Denominator Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
Inclusions:
- All publicly funded hospitals
- Inpatient settings
Calculation Method
Numerator divided by denominator times 100
Indicator Reporting Level(s)/Stratification(s)
Hospital site, Ontario, reporting period
Refresh Frequency
Annually (fiscal year)
Data Asset Name(s)
Self-Reporting Initiative prior to April 2024
Health Data Collection Service since April 2024
Data Providers
Ministry of Health (MOH)
Adjustment(s)
N/A
Limitations and Assumptions Notes
- The data are self-reported by hospitals.
- The number of observation sessions required will depend on the number of inpatient beds. For example, to ensure statistically valid data, a hospital with 100 beds will observe at least 200 hand hygiene opportunities. The minimum number of observed opportunities is 50 for any hospital with 25 beds or less.
- The data are collected through direct observation using a validated tool from the Just Clean Your Hands program run by Public Health Ontario (PHO). Observers are trained to identify the opportunities for hand hygiene occurring during practice and point of care.
- Since observers only record what they see, certain hand hygiene opportunities will not be captured. For example, if a privacy curtain is drawn closed, the audit cannot be performed.
Indicator Description
This indicator measures the percentage of health care providers who comply with hand hygiene best practices, based on results from an electronic monitoring system.
Interpretation (for example, directionality)
A higher percentage is better
Definition and Source Information
Statistic and Unit of Measurement
Percentage
Numerator
The total number of hand sanitizer and soap dispenser activations measured via a wireless signal to a wireless hub
Numerator Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
Sensors in alcohol and soap-based hand sanitizer dispensers are installed on the inpatient units in all locations where patient care is provided.
Denominator
Estimated number of hand hygiene opportunities (HHOs) per patient hour is based on previously validated benchmarks for medical, surgical and critical care units, multiplied by patient census on the unit.
Denominator Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
This calculation is automated because the software algorithm is linked to the hospital’s bed management system. The benchmark is provided by the hospital, based on unit characteristics, to the vendor of the group electronic monitoring system.
Calculation Method
Extract number of hand sanitizer and soap dispenser activations (numerator) divided by hand hygiene opportunities (HHOs) (denominator) for all units combined throughout the fiscal reporting cycle
Indicator Reporting Level(s)/Stratification(s)
Hospital site, Ontario, reporting period
Refresh Frequency
Annually (fiscal year)
Data Asset Name(s)
Self-Reporting Initiative prior to April 2024
Health Data Collection Service since April 2024
Data Providers
Ministry of Health (MOH)
Adjustment(s)
N/A
Limitations and Assumptions Notes
Group electronic monitoring systems cannot distinguish the four moments of hand hygiene, which are captured in traditional direct observation. At the present time, the same group electronic monitoring system is being used across all Ontario hospitals (currently about 12 hospitals in total) that use this technology. If hospitals consider using different systems, the technical specifications should be revisited because there could be differences in the algorithm used to establish the denominator that would prevent direct comparisons. Visitors are not a significant limitation for group electronic monitoring systems because in prior validation studies visitor hand hygiene opportunities (HHOs) made up less than 10% of overall HHOs and they had extremely low compliance. Therefore, although they may contribute to the numerator if they clean their hands, visitor HHOs are not included in the benchmark.
Last Updated: June 15, 2026
