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Home My WebLink AboutThe Brussels Post, 1976-02-25, Page 18et e.h the e is RD iurcl E KE alto' r Pa hriu. cgist ash arolc lebr; om tern( rith `cloc twoo vitat Iks 'c Cat eninl Sac m. d,Tr emits, th G birth .erica dude epan `art turdt case FEE3RUAgYiS HEART MONTH. WELCOME YOUR HEART FUND VOLUNTEER • tit 1 I "Neriseili n p F To the editor ' Clinton Hospital has • -ten Allen ,Ci saysChi tdrectS unique services, MD March 4 at 8:00 p..m. The annua reports of the Society will Ix presented along with the electioa of the Board of Directors for tha year 1976. All residents of the County Mil are members of the Society a0 entitled to vote at the annual meeting, and to be nominated lot the Board. Membership cards ate available at the office of tiR Society, 46 Gloucester Terrace Goderich or the office 'of th Clerk-Treasurer, Court Fl ouse Goderich, and may also b ,obtained the evening of th meeting on payment of the annul one dollar fee. The Board of Directors has extended a cordial invitation to all residents of the County to attend the annual meeting, and to avail themselves of an opportunity of hearing' Helen Allen; and th work of the Society in, adoption and related Children's services activities. (A brief presented to Health Minister Frank Miller by Clinton M.D. Brian Baker) Mr. Minister: To make you aware of the medical aspects of the Clinton Public Hospital and its vital importance in the county we woukrdraw your attention to the following facts. - Average cost per patient day is the lowest in the county. The average length of stay is the lowest, yet the percentage of occupancy is roughly the same as three otheyhospitals and much higher than one. It has taken considerable time to build up a highly excellent, compatible and qualified team of physicians and nurses. It is the only hoSpital in Huron County with five certified active Specialists on Staff and the only hospital with four well trained anesthesists who regularlY attend refresher courses in this specialty. Clinton has a very long history of surgical, achievement which is being carried on-actively at the present time., The volume of surgery performed in the one efficient operating room is comparable to larger hospitals. The surgical procedures include all the major operations performed by general surgeons. This is possible because of the well trained team. The diagnostic accuracy' rate can be best illustrated by a review of .pathological appendices-only one normal appendix in twenty removed since September 1975. Clinton is the only hospital in Fluron County using a Laparoscope for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Patients come from as far away as Ripley for this. Clinton is the only hospital in Huron County with a functioning remote cardiac monitor and resuscitation team, including around the clock team of trained nurses.' In 1975 the successful resuscitation rate for ventricular fibrillation cases was four out of four or 100% . It= has taken several years to reach this efficiency and it is a source of hospital pride. Clinton •was asked by the University Hospital in Eondon to establish a renal peritoneal dialysis unit for patients in this area.This facility is functioning efficiently today and it is the only one in Huron County, It is significant that a patient pronounced terminally ill with renal failure at Toronto General Hospital was kept in reasonable health for 18 months at the instigation of the local team before the unit was established in Clinton. Clinton serves as a hemophilia treatment centre where local hemophiliac receive Cryoprecipitate and have been instructed in self administration. Clinton has a final year student in Medicine at University of Western Ontario for instruction in family medicine and internal medicine under the' supervision of the active staff internist. The physiotherapy department was the original unit in Fluron County and remains active •in provicijng in patient and out patient treatment receiving referrals from London, Exeter and surrounding localities. Clinton, geographically, is centred on two major highways and is the hub of the County. There is consequently a consistent call on the emergency department and emergency surgical procedures are common with motor vehicle accidents. (Statistics indicate that - Huron County has one of the highest accident fatality rates in Ontario). Huronview home for the aged with a bed capacity of roughly'300 and Heather Gardens with Chronic psychiatric patients numbering over 60 place an extra demand on hospital facilities in Huron County which is largely absorbed by Clinton Public Hospital. This is an active treatment hospital providing total patient care of the highest calibre with exclusion only of highly specialized services. We would invite you to check our, reputation with the neurosurgeons and neurologist in, London regarding our workup of patients in this field. We recognize that one larger hospital in central Huron County, namely Clinton would service the area more efficiently and economically than five smaller hospitals. However, closure of Clinton at this time would break up the most efficient medical and nursing unit in the area which bias taken many years to-develop. It would, furthermore, stress to a dangerous point the facilities in Huron County . Overcrowding leading to a' fall in patient care would surely result. We suggest these alternatives for your consideration believing that they hurt no patient and impoSe no financial burdens. 1. First, birth control clinics may be necessary in metropolitan areas if access to private physicians is difficult. This is an unwarranted waste of funds in ' rural communities where advice and treatment can be obtained from family doctors. 2. , Perhaps it is justified to give free mecifeation 'to those over 65; however, •the requirements for monthly renewals of prescriptions leads to an unnecessary ,increase in costs both in prescription fees and possibly office visits: A prescription for three months would markedly reduce this fee. 3. Most cases of tuberculosis are diagnosed by private physicins, treated adequately in special units in general hospitals. There seems no valid reason for , a separate government department to detect this one communicable disease. 4. Should non essential services such as chiropractic treatments be an optional benefit under 0.1-1.I.K at additional premiums?, 5. If the courts wish to remand people to „ psychiatric facilities for opinion• as to mental illness, should not the cost of this be borne by the justice department rather than 0.11.1,P. 6. It has been local experience that geriatric clinics run by Public Health offer no treatment benefits, create confusion and ' excessive demand in doctors offices and such funds could well be used in other areas such as Home Care Nurses rather than V.O.N. nurses. We would ask you, respectfully how you can contemplate closure of hospitals and hospital units without going through the normal democratic proceSs of legislative debate? We would also ask what statistical basis y on have for saving money brhospital closures, since we believe the only thing that will be accomplished is the redistribution of professional staff and services, in Other :areas in' Ontario? B.Baker M.D. Medical Staff of Clinton Public Hospital 2 indhe§, OneitaY ti 3 inches.. tiiiill.group§. Helen Allen, known for E et work in the field of Child Welfare. adoption through the "To-day's Child" column in many daily and weekly newspapers 'throughout Ontario, and the 'Family Finder" television show, will be the guest speaker at this year's annual meeting of the Children's Aid Society of Huron County. Affiliated with the Adoption Co-ordinator's ,office of the Children's Services Bureau of the Province 'of Ontario, Miss. Allen has been a prominent spokesman on behalf of the older and so-called "unadoptable" child in the province and Canada, and was active in the Vietnam crisis efforts of the proVince and Ontario's Children's Aid Societies 1975: The sixty;-fifth annual meeting of the Society will be held in the Board Room of the County Assessment Building, Gloucester Terrace, Goderich on Thursday, —'—'---Clip & Save —77 Senior Citizens SAVE'- SAVE -- SAVE 10% OFF ' with this cid / Every Tues. &Wed. ONLY ON ALL SERVICES . 'at GEORGE of .BRUSSELS John St., Brussels 887-6751 — —Clip & Save --- sk or t folder from our representative, Wayne Rounding who will be at: Blue Satin Motel &Resraurant -LISTOWEL on the 1st Thursday of each ' month March 4th If you require financing to start, modernize or expand your business and are unable to obtain it elsewhere on reasonable terms and conditions or if you are interested in the FBDB management services of counselling and training or wish information on government programs available for your business, talk to our representative. hz, FEDERAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK • • For p, iiifortiiattort. oft Vf ,5650 be write • .. 1036 OttititiOStrebt, Stratford: Openifig sew dog small" buSinet6; . . Peanuts By Charles Schulz CL • di. • How Safe Is The Ice? 4 inches 0.K'. 1 inch stay oft _ ititHE BRUSSELS. PbSTT,'PERAUARst 25, $16 111=11•• •1111••• M IN CI Di