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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1996-12-11, Page 3News and Views THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Deer 11, /11l41-3 December 4 Expositor Exposed! The Ex -Files: Spotted Mistakes: I) Page 4 - "And 401 wouldn't be A bad a bad" - Pogi Perkins 2) Page I "deteriorate" spelled incorrectly - Ethel Walker McMaster Siemon l♦ INSURANCE M BROKERS INC. •AUTO •HOI.IE •I- • ' •TRAVEL •COMMERC1,kt 'LIFE INSURANCE BROKERS: Bill Siemon Vicki Siemon Anette McTaggart Dan Proctor Ken Hutchison 68 Ontario Rd. 348-9150 Mitchell 1-800-561-0183 SEAFORTH INSURANCE BROKER LTD. 527-1610 'Insuring Four Business Is Our Business' • Home • Commercial • Auto • Farm • Life • Out of Province Travel Insurance Call Your Representative Today • Ken Cardno • Lynn Pletsch • Barb Watt . •Joanne Williamson . PHOTO BY DAVID SCOTT CONTENTS SPILLED - A 1992 Ford truck driven by Bruce Buurma of RR 3 Watford spilled its contents in a collision with a pick-up truck driven by Mark McNichol of McKillop at the intersection of Conc. 2/3 at Tuckersmith Township, Sideroad 5/6 on Friday afternoon at approximately 1:35 p.m. The Buurma vehicle was carrying plastic barrels of chlorine, peroxide and detergent soap which spilled into the ditch and field west of Sideroad 5/6. The Ministry of Environment was notified. The spill was contained and cleaned up. At Brussels Information Meeting, Dr. Woldnik says: Has to be change in where ambulancesgo option will include Scaforth." "It is important we speak on behalf of what you think is important," he said. "We need collaboration for the common good so we can cre- ate a better system. Primary health care needs must be at the core." "By repatriating some, of the services instead of send- ing people to Landon, we can provide the right service, at the right time, at the right place, by the right provider, at an affordable cost to the taxpayers," he said. "It can he BY JANICE BECKER North Huron Citizen Staff Even with the future prospects for one of their local hospitals looking posi- tive. more than 70 residents of the Brussels arca turned out at the December 3 infor- mation meeting at Brussels Morris Grey Community Centre to discuss the future of health care in Huron -Perth. Memhersiof the hospital restructuring task force and board members and person- nel from Seafyrtji Community Hospital outlined the details and ,ramifications of the three options suggested. Icy the task force for Huron Perth District Health Council. Though Scaforth hospital was listed as a Primary Carc Centre with•acute and chron- ic keds, in each option, there were limitations to service which the doctors and staff were not willing to accept. As a primary hospital, Scaforth would have 24-hour emergency care. lab and imaging services and would he able to handle day-to-day functions which could he accomplished by a general practitioncr•such as minor procedures or those requiring a local anesthetic. Thc concern voiced by Dr. Mark Woldnik. chief of staff at Scaforth, was that this lim- itation may not allow •ohstet- ric services at any facility other than Alexandra Marine and General Hospital in- Goderich nGoderich and Stratford General Hospital, which were named secondary hospitals in the task force report. Full -surgical hack -up for obstetrics would only be pro- vided at secondary care cen- tres where general anesthetic would he available. Such ser- vices would not he on-site at primary care centres, said Woldnik, according to the options suggested.' "Residents should consider if obstetrics should be main- tained at four sites, the two secondary and two primary," he'said. (The sdrvice)iwill be going from seven sites to two." 1 ' Aside from the need for obstetric services required at more than two sites, Woldnik was also concerned about the inability of smaller hospitals to do day surgeries which require general anesthetic. With more hospital services being done on an outpatient basis because of new tech- nologies, Woldnik suggested minor day surgery should stay at at least four sites. "Thc focus should not he on the number of keds at •a facility, he said, "because many services are supplied by others, such as nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives and homecare workers. We must be willing to reach out to other groups, such as nurs- ing homes, and work togeth- er. That is good for the com- munity." When questioned on whether emergency services would remain at all hospitals, Woldnik said "there has to he access in rural areas." "I believe strongly that there will be emergency care at Wingham', Seaforth, Goderich, Stratford and Listowel," he said, "but there has to be a change in where the ambulances, go. If some- one has broken bones, there is no point going to Wingham, even if it is the closest, if there is no orthope- dic surgeon on-call. However, it would he best to go to the hospital where the family doctor is." On a personal note, ,Woldnik added he would like to see Wingham and District Hospital maintained for emergencies and as a satellite for Goderich so extra facili- ties would not have to he constructed at Alexandra Marine and General. Bill Thibert, chief executive officer of Seaforth Community Hospital and task force member, told the lathering this was just the start of the process and even though Scaforth appears in all three options at present, as a primary care centre, "there is no assurance the final Seaforth's surgeon and anesthetist to be shared Day surgery should be done here CONTINUED from page Thc possibility that Seaforth's role in all three options docs not Include gen- eral surgery under general anesthetic and possibly the reduction or removal of obstetrics was of concern to the audience. Although Seaforth hospital presently has a surgeon (Dr. Ken Rodney) and an anes- thetist (Dr. Heather Percival), our hospital, in a primary function in the three options, could not perform surgery requiring a general anesthe- sia. "That would only he done in the two secondary hospitals - Godcrich and Stratford." said Thihcrt. "We will still he ahlc to do things under a local anesthesia. Like bumps. stitches, bruises." "Laproscopic surgery like gallbladder operations, hernia repairs - a lot of day surgery stuff we do, we would no longer he able to do because it requires a general anesthet- ic." The hospital feels it should still he allowed to perform this routine surgery. As well, there's the question of conve- nience for families and patients travelling to a local hospital rather than a longer trip to Stratford or Godcrich. "You have to he driven down to Stratford in thc morning and then someone has to come hack and pick you up in the early evening. We're not saying we want to do all the surgery but there's a lot of straight forward day surgery that we should still he ahlc to do. That way it's convenient and it won't plug up the other two places," said Thihcrt. "Concern was expressed as to the feasibility of Stratford and Goderich picking up all this surgery. Do they have the capacity to do it? Would waiting lists he developed? We're still looking at that." Doctors' Roles Affected The Huron E.xposiror asked the Scaforth hospital CEO how this new transfer of surgery to two hospitals would affect thc roles of Doctors Rodney and Percival at Scaforth. "Under the options that exist right now Dr. Ken Rodney would be driving to Godcrich or Stratford to do surgery. As well, Dr. Hcathcr Percival would he doing anesthesia and going to Godcrich and Stratford. They would still remain on staff at Scaforth. It would lake them away for whether it he half a day or a day's time. Thcy would still he doing their general practice work here," said Thihcrt. "For Ken, surgery is a pre- dominant part of his work. cost effective with quality." Thibert encouraged all in attendance to consider which.' services are the most valu- able to them and ensure that the District Health Council members hear those at the Open houses scheduled over the next few days and in January once a single recom- mendation is announced. NOW UNTIL CHRISTMAS save like never before We're CLEARING NVENTORY STOP IN TO SEE FOR YOURSELF AT BOUSSEY'S Vaud," &care 527-2601 5 Main St. SEAFORTH To Catch a Dream ASSE He does a lot of general prac- tice work. And Heather, doing anesthesia that's an important component of her job but it's about 25 per cent or less than that. We sense they should he able to do surgery here." Obstetrics a Concern As it stands right now with the three options, there would he four hospitals doing obstetrics: the two secondary hospitals (Stratford and Goderich) and the two prima- ry hospitals with acute beds (either Seaforth and Listowel or Scaforth and Wingham). Thc real issue is what defines "full surgical back- up" which is supposed to he available wherever obstetrics are being offered. "If you have to have spe- cialists on site, you may be down to just obstetrics in two hospitals (Stratford and Goderich). If you can define surgical back-up as being within 30 minutes of a spe- ciality team - we can gct peo- ple down to Stratford in half an hour." Thc issuc of obstetrics is still being reviewed, says Thibert. New Management? And who will manage the hospitals that survive? "They're talking now of one administrative team. CONTINUED on page 7 t 1-s1 FROM 1988, when they first skated at the Calgary Olympics, to their medal -winning performance in Lillehammer six years later, Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler have become two of the brightest stars the skating world has to offer. In their. atctobiography, Brasseur and Eisler show us the heights and lows of their glittering amateur career. But, more than anything else, they reveal how their indomitable will and support of each other; enabled them to catch a dream. T) Ca [cli a Dream ;is told fr) Lt Ilea 1.). 1 Irotise A Beautiful Christmas Gift ' ($29.91 including GST) $27 Shop locally ... 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