HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2014-11-26, Page 22 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Seaforth Hospital moves into new specialty role
Whitney South
Huron Expositor
Some big changes are com-
ing to Seaforth Community
Hospital on Dec. 1.
In a strategic redirection by
the Huron -Perth Health Alli-
ance (HPHA), Seaforth, St.
Mary's, Clinton and Stratford
sites are all taking on spe-
cialty roles in hopes of
advancing the way patients
receive care.
For staff at Seaforth, rehabili-
tation will be the site's number
one priority while still main-
taining the same level of emer-
gency services already offered.
According to Mary Helen
Dale, manager of the new
rehab unit, being able to con-
centrate on rehabilitation will
be key in helping patients heal,
while continuing to offer the
same high level of care resi-
dents have come to expect
from their local hospital.
"The role of the Seaforth site
is going to change signifi-
cantly," she said. "But we know
the importance of the hospital
and the people who work here
for the community:'
Dale went on to explain sev-
eral new services will be
offered to patients, including
full time physiotherapy, as well
as speech therapy, leisure rec-
reation and community care
access. The new program will
also include a part-time social
worker and dietician.
"I'm really looking forward
to working with the Seaforth
staff," she added. "They've all
been really enthusiastic about
the changes coming to the site:'
The hospital will see an
increase of nine beds coming
from Stratford, bringing the
total available to 20. While four
will be maintained for acute
care, seven will be designated
for continuing care and nine
reserved for rehabilitation.
For program director Penny
Cardno, the hospital's move
toward a more specialized
focus is one that will be very
beneficial for patients and their
families.
"We're going to see a signifi-
cantincrease in the multidisci-
plinary team members dedi-
cated to the unit," she said,
adding the increase in services
will increase the availability for
outpatient physiotherapy.
BABIES OF
2014
Make sure you're one of the proud parents or
grandparents to show off the newest member of your
family. Join The Huron Expositor's
"BABIES ON PARADE"
a photo display of babies born in 2014
Published Wed. Jan. 14, 2015
DEADLINE:
DECEMBER 19,12:00 Noon
Send or bring a picture of your little one born in 2014, including full name,
birthdate and parents' names, to be featured in The Huron Expositor's
"Babies on Parade" on January 14,2015 for only $18.00 (HST included).
Please send picture (with name on back) along with a cheque to The Huron
Expositor, P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ont., NOK IWO by 12 noon, Fri. Dec. 19.
Photos may be picked up after January 14. This feature must be pre -paid.
PLEASE COMPLETE
Baby's Full Name
Birth Date
Parents' Names
18.00 Enclosed
•
•
n •
1
Ex ositor
8Main St.,
Seaforth
527-0240
ea ort uronex.ositor.co
"There has been a wait and
we're very committed to
reducing that:"
The program will also see
the introduction of new leader-
ship roles, which will include
team leaders Karen Layton and
Michelle Wick
"Our goal is to make this
process as seamless for the
patients as possible," said Lay-
ton, explaining with all new
services being offered, several
beds could be filled with
patients from other areas.
"People will be coming from all
over, so we'll be helping
patients and their families
transition to our community:'
"We're really excited about
the changes," added'VVick "We
really think this will be a bene-
fit to everyone."
In terms of patient care,
someone coming to the Sea -
forth site may not necessarily
stay there, depending on the
type of care they need. Though
emergency services will not
change, each site will
speciali7e in a different aspect
of a patient's needs. Clinton, for
example, will deal with more
acute care. Those normally
coming to Seaforth may be
admitted, but once the amount
of designated beds are full, they
will be assessed in the emer-
gency department but be
admitted in Clinton or St.
Marys to their acute care beds.
Dr. Heather Percival, who
will serve as site chief, believes
the coming change will mean
more than just a move towards
specialization, but a way to
keep each hospital site viable.
"This way, we ensure that every
single hospital in the area has a
distinctive role and will still be
here in 15 or 20 years," she said,
adding the goal being for peo-
ple to see all sites in the HPHA
more as one large hospital,
with four separate wings.
For Percival, the biggest part
change will be the culture shift,
which will surely be felt in the
community.
"Up until 15 years ago, every
hospital was its own entity' she
explained. "You went to Sea -
forth because it was your hos-
pital. Now, if a patient is seen in
Seaforth emergency and diag-
nosed to have something sur-
gical, they may go to Stratford
for their surgery then head to
Clinton to recover before com-
ing back to Seaforth to get
stronger to go home
Percival added, 99 per cent
of the time people will be
admitted to Seaforth, but in flu
season for example, when the
allotted beds are full, they may
end up going somewhere else.
"We're not so much taking
things away, but adding ser-
vices that will contribute to the
overall hospital community,"
she said. "Certainly the hospi-
tal will always be here for the
community - the emergency
department will still service
Seaforth and Mitchell quite
nicely - it will just help service
the entire community to make
sure we continue to have a
future:'
Municipality faces increased funding cuts
Whitney South
Huron Expositor
During the Nov. 18 meeting,
Huron East council was told the
news they will be receiving the
largest cut from the Ontario
Municipal Partnership Fund
(OMPF) once again.
In the coming year, the
municipality will face a
$454,000 reduction compared
to a $331,100 cut in 2014.
These new numbers would
mean a municipal levee
increase of 5.2 per cent
However, due to additional
funding provided by the
Ontario Communitylnfrastruc-
ture Fund (OCIF) to the tune of
$113,350 per year over 2014-
2016, Huron Eastwill only have
to see an overall loss of $340,650
in funding for 2015, bringing the
municipal levee increase down
to 11.4 per cent
OCIF provides $100 million
per year to continue to support
the revitali7ation and repair of
roads, bridges and other critical
infrastructure in small, rural
and northern communities. It
includes $50 million in applica-
tion -based funding and $50
million in formula -based fund-
ing, from with municipality has
benefited so far.
The application -based fund-
ing is heading into the first
phase, in which Huron East's
expression of interest has been
selected to move on.
OFFICE HOURS
The Office Hours for
The Seaforth Huron Expositor are as follows
Mondays - 9am - 5pm
Tuesdays - CLOSED
Wednesdays - 9am - 5pm
Thursdays - 9am - 5pm
Fridays - 9am - 5pm
Seaforth
Won Expositor
8 Main Street, Seaforth ON
PH: 519-527-0240
www.seaforthhuronexpositor .com