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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2004-12-22, Page 1616 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR. Dec. 22.2004 News Hospital study group meeting attracts close to 200 people By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor The continued good health of Seaforth Community Hospital is "imperative" to the success of the 245 -home Bridges of Seaforth development that could inject more than $60 million into the local economy. That's what developer Bill MacLean told close to 200 people in attendance at a public meeting held Thursday night at the arena by the hospital study group. "The clinic and the hospital are important to me. I never would have started the Bridges project if the hospital had not been here," said MacLean. The meeting was held by Ken Larone, Maureen Spittal and Dr. Ken Rodney, who are currently researching the Seaforth community's feelings about its local hospital as the Huron -Perth Healthcare Alliance proposes budget cuts across its four -hospital partnership that will eliminate a $7 million deficit. Results from six focus groups and 345 responses to a newspaper questionnaire have so far shown support ranging from 84 to 100 per cent support for services at Seaforth Community Hospital, with 100 per cent support for outpatient surgery, recovery beds, a 24-hour, seven-day emergency department and x- ray department. "If community interest and the emphasis on service holds up through the remainder of the study, the report will be a very powerful statement in favour of preserving the community -built hospital and its services," said Rodney. The third phase of the group's research will begin this week with a telephone survey of one in 10 residents of Huron East. "Over the years many of us have worked hard for our doctors and our hospital and that also includes our parents before us. Now it Seems we face a new era, an era of doctor shortages and a shortage of dollars for our medical institutions. It's within this environment of uncertainty that we are determined to protect what we have worked so hard to build in the past," said Larone MacLean spoke about the economic impact of the hospital situation. He said the well-off, retired couples who will be moving into the golf course subdivision could bring $50- $60 million in construction revenue, $5 million to Main Street businesses when they furnish and decorate their homes, $500,000, a year to local companies for the upkeep of their homes and $200,000 a year to 'the municipality in property taxes. "The economic and social benefits of this development have the potential to be great," he said. Fourteen homes have already been sold and up to 50 couples are waiting to see the three model homes that will begin to be built in January and should be ready to open in May. "Your new neighbours should start arriving Christmas of 2005 and the last home should be completed by July 1, 2010. There's usually a slow start but when you get to 50, friends and family start moving in and the community takes off," he said. "I'm 100 per cent confident the community will be successful but the hospital is extremely important to provide services meaningful to our audience," said MacLean. Bill Hughes, a recent transplant to Seafoitth from Mississauga, echoed MacLean's comments, saying the hospital was an important element in his decision to move to town. "If we lose this hospital, I'll probably have to move," he said. Bob Litt, of Seaforth, suggested a "grassroots rebellion" to fight for Seaforth Community Hospital. ""How about we put a letter in the paper and everybody can sign it and put it in the mail because to lose %he hospital will be the end of Seaforth," he said. Luke Janmaat, of Egmondville, suggested a fundraising campaign to buy an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine to provide a protected service to the Seaforth hospital. "Twenty-five years ago we came together for an arena and right now we're looking at health. I know it's a costly endeavour but what's wrong with having an MRI facility in Seaforth?" he asked. Seaforth Community Hospital site leader Mary Cardinal responded that the Seaforth hospital is probably too small for the province to consider locating an MRI here. "They are more often offered at tertiary centres in big cities because they need a whole host of specialists to support them. I don't think it's feasible," she said. "What happens if the unit is supplied to the hospital - what if you operate it but don't own it. There's a great need for MRIs and people are going to the U.S. for them," responded Janmaat. Rodney added that an MRI would be a good idea if it could be supported in Seaforth. "We should certainly give it a good college try if we got an MRI but who's going to run it. You'd need so many technicians . and trained radiologist. A little place would not be able to support it. But, I won't discourage ideas - you've *ot to keep them coming," said Rodney. Both Maureen Agar and Carolanne Doig expressed concern that parallels exist between the current situation at SCH and the high school closure experience in Seaforth. "We went through this with the high school. We talked to the Ministry of Education and we went to court twice. I can see Seaforth being squeezed out," said Agar. Agar asked why the two operating rooms at Seaforth hospital were "sitting empty." Cardinal said no decisions have yet been made by the Alliance outlining where services will be offered throughout the four hospitals. "We had a lot of community involvement and you need to know it was all included in the balanced budget plan. But, the funding formula puts rural hospitals at a strong disadvantage," she said. Because a provincial funding formula led to the demise of Seaforth's high school, Doig said the phrase made her feel sick to her stomach. "To find out we have operating rooms that are not being used is really frustrating. People aren't going to come here and be doctors and nurses in Seaforth if that's hanging over the hospital all the time," she said. Steve Hildebrand, of Seaforth, asked what advantages there are for Seaforth hospital to be a member of the Alliance. "We access London's hospitals all the time and we're not a member of their Alliance. Why do we need to be a part of this one?" he said. Calling it the $60 million question, Cardinal answered that Seaforth hospital has always run a deficit but was saved in the past by cash reserves and an llth hour bailout by the province. "Today our operating expenses go up six per cent a year while our funding only goes up 1.4 per cent. To go it alone would be a challenge," she said. "I know there's a lot of skepticism in the room and that people are anxious. I don't know if anyone in this room will believe me but the Alliance has no designs to close Seaforth or any site," she said. Rodney added that the hospital study group is more interested in breaking the silence surrounding the financial situation at the hospital than leaving the Alliance. "At present, we're trying not to break the system but to bend it to accommodate our needs. We can't answer your question at this time but we're prepared to take your concerns all the way to the ministry (of health) if that's what it takes," he said. AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING SPECIALISTS 1110011am hisliitalfriii, Ira Bill Holman & Sons Contractor #0038931001nse 38 Sal •r -•t 1 tich.'$t ookt*. 527-0505 1 I. 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