Quebec will probably never eradicate hospital-acquired infections such as C. difficile, but will take steps to reduce the infection rate by one-third, said the province's health minister.

Philippe Couillard said Wednesday that the province will launch an action plan that includes upgrading hospital equipment and placing sinks closer to work stations for easier hand-washing.

Thousands of patients in the province have become ill because of C. difficile and other types of bacterial infections while receiving treatment in hospitals.

Some data suggest 100 people or more have died since the outbreak of a new, virulent strain of C. difficile in Quebec.

Couillard said patients with hospital-acquired infections will be isolated in the future to cut down on transmission rates.

"One of the fundamental recommendations apart from handwashing, and proper cleaning of the rooms, is putting these cases together, apart from the general patient population," said Couillard.

Leonard Aucoin, who wrote the report on which the action plan is based, says monitoring is key to reducing hospital-acquired infections.

Meeting the goals is not about extra funding, but reorganization, he said.

"The scientific knowledge is there. It's evolving, but we know it's there," said Aucoin. "And globally, the resources are there. It's a question of defining our priorities."