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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1994-06-01, Page 1SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 Dave Nicolle Insiders Report Great Prices Unique Items Now on Sale! rSUBSCRIBE, If you aren't subscribing to The Times -Advocate, you're missing out. Use the coupon below and subscribe today! Name: I Address City Prov. . Postal Code ■ SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada ■ Within 40 miles - (65 km) addressed to non letter carrier addresses $30.00 plus $2.10 G.S.T. Outside 40 miles - (65 km) or any letter ' I carrier address $60.00 + $4.20 G.S.T. Outside Canada -$99.00 oncr see w Pude* 1 USE YOUR CREDIT CARD ' 00000000 ■ ■ OOOOC ICID Card No. 1 I Expiry Date ❑ Visa ❑ Master Card 0 Cheque enclosed Return to; TIMES ADVOCATE 424 Main St. Exeter, Ont. NOM 1S6J tar—si•—t.M- 1 1 Wednesday, June 1, 1994 SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 Geraniums $6419 ;84C + 6c G.S.T.) 90 cents Klopp told town emergency services needed MPP says emergency room issue is just the tip of the iceberg when discussing problems with the health care system in the province By Catherine O'Brien T -A staff EXETER - The possible closing of weekday emergency services at South Huron Hospital was a key concern of many people who met with MPP Paul Klopp last Tuesday night. Klopp was at th(Lions Youth Centre last week to meet with com- munity members individually for an informal chat. But a number of people wanted to sit down with the MPP as a group to discuss the hospital issue specifically. "I want you to do something about it," one man said. "I've paid taxes all my life for this kind of coverage. I feel like I'm being held hostage now," he said. The man told Klopp that he moved to Exeter because there was a hospital in town. "I don't want it taken away from me," he said. The man went on to say some people will think twice about mov- ing to a town, or staying in a town that doesn't have adequate emer- gency services. Klopp told the dozen orso people that the Ontario government re- alizes there is a very real problem regarding doctors and medical ser- vices in rural areas throughout the province. "I've been told by many people including doctors that the system is failing," Klopp said. "But it's not an easy issue." He said the government is having a tough time dealing with the issue because the key players - being the Ontario Hospital Association and the Ontario Medical Association - don't want to sit down and find a long term solution to the problem. Klopp said he has been told by many rural doctors that they are un- happy with their organization. "The doctors association refuses to look at a different fee structure for rural and northern doctors," Klopp said. "The emergency care problem is just the tip of the ice- berg in problems with the system," Klopp said. On the local level, Klopp said hospital administration at South Huron were doing a fine job trying to get a deal with the issue. "Hospital boards are entitled to say they can't take money out of budgets for doctors. It's only a short term solution, he said. "We have to come up with a long term Ontario solution." As well, Klopp said he has told the minster of health his opinion on the issue and he encouraged people in the community to write Ruth Grier and voice their concerns. Pie in the eye Lucky draw winners at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School got a chance to have a bit of fun with the principal, a teacher and the school president Thursday as part of fundraising efforts to sponsor a family in India. Pictured above is Greg Caslick presenting school president Darryl Romphf with a pie. Below, principal David Sharpe recovers from his hit. So far the students have raised more than $500. Emergency gets another reprieve But if a deal is reached with doctors, how will the hospital pay? By Adrian Harte T -A Editor EXETER - South Huron Hospital's emer- gency room got yet another reprie ie this Mon- day, and will remain open 24 hours a day at least for another two weeks. Administrator Don Currell, however, is now confident an agreement can be reached with local doctors to keep emergency open permanently. As of Friday morning, Currell said he had been expecting the hospital board's deadline to pass without an agreement, causing emer- gency to close weekdays as of Monday. But an offer made later that day by the seven local doctors who staff emergency, convinced the board to extend yet another two-week deadline for negotiations. Correll still wouldn't release details of what the doctors were asking for, but said it was "a formula we were more interested in pursuing". Whatever the specific formula as to how the doctors will be paid for staffing emergency, Curren said the board is still interested in keeping annual costs down to $100,000 - con- siderably less than the $250,000 last fall's agreement would cost. "We're in business for another couple of weeks," said Currell, but added he is hopeful an agreement can be found. "i think we're get- ting closer." One question that will remain is how the hospital can accommodate an extra $ I00,000 for doctors' fees into its budget. A letter from health minister Ruth Grier insists that the province will only pay doc- tors from the $3.85 billion set aside for OHIP fees. Because the hospital is be- ing asked to top -up OHIP fees to an hourly wage dur- ing slack emergency room times, the board will have a hard time getting the money ince. "That letter is very explicit that we shouldn't be paying anything," said Currell, but noted there are about 48 hospitals in Ontario with contracts for emergency staffing and "more coming every day". Last fall's deal with the doctors to guarantee them S60 an hour to be on call around the clock for emergency has been ruled out as too expensive for the hospital's budget. The Goderich hospital reached an agreement with its doctors to guarantee them a number of emergency visits per day, paying S42 for each visit short of that number. In Wingham, doctors are paid $300 a day to be on call, plus whatever OHIP killings they receive. Both Goderich and Wingham's for- mulas cost their hospitals about $100,000 per year. On weekends, gency is staffed "Payment for physician emergency service is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, not hospitals." from the prov- South Huron Hospital's emer- by doctors from London who aren't paid by the hos- pital, but receive only OHIP fees for the patients they treat. Monday, the Ontario Hospital Association made a plea to the min- istry to end the "topping - up" fees being paid to physicians by hospitals. "Payment for physician emergency service is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, not hospitals," said Dennis Timbrell, president of the OHA. "Scarce hospital resources are not fair game to be used as additional pay- ments in order to provide a critical service to the community." Timhrell said last November's request the minstry deal with the problem did not lead to any meaningful solutions. "Now there are even more hospitals being confronted by de- mands from their physicians. The situation is deteriorating." The OHA say 14 Ontario hospitals have been forced to cut back their emergency ser- vices. • ABCA approves shoreline plan The controversial document vyill be released today By Catherine O'Brien T -A staff EXETER - After three years in the develop- ment stage, the Ausable-Bayfield Conserva- tion Authority has finally adopted a shoreline management plan. "Basically it's a Tong -range land use plan- ning guide," said ABCA planning supervisor Patrick Donnelly. The document, which will be available to the public starting today, attempts to explain how and why flooding and erosion ocenr& along the lakeshore and why it occurs at dif- ferent rates. it also discusses options to protect the shore, environmental impacts and land development guidelines. The ABCA expects the new planning docu- ment will be an excellent reference guide for shoreline property owners and local govern- ment officials living along the lake from Port Franks to just north of Bayfield. Donnelly said this plan, which was ap- proved on April 21, will give local mu- nicipalities along the shore greater control in the future when it comes to lakeshore is- sues. "Shoreline management is being discussed at many different levels of government," said Donnelly. "1 think we've taken the bull by the horns on this issue," he said. He said the new plan reflects local needs and this may not have been the case if the ABCA waited until government agencies mandated guidelines. "I feel fortunate we have done something lo- cally." Donnelly said. Although the plan has only been in the works since 1991, the ABCA and government agencies realized some kind of pian was need- ed after what Donnelly referred to as "a high lake period in 1986." He said at this time a lot of flooding and ero- sion occurred along shorelines across the Great Lakes. "We realized the best way to make sure this doesn't happen again is to make some changes on our own," Donnelly said. "It's a proactive approach." That meant putting together a 23- member steering committee of local municipal pol- iticians, cottage owners as well as county plan- ners. 'The committee held 10 meetings and re- ceived comments from more than one thou- sand people over the past three years before the plan was finalized. "The shoreline management plan reflects the principles of good land use planning," Donnel- ly said. 1 Children's hospital receiving walkathon cheque EXETER - Proceeds from the an- nual Skinner walkathon last month will be presented on the Children's Miracle Network Telethon this coming Sunday. The telethon is the main fundraiser for the Chil- dren's Hospital of Western Ontario in London. Those who participated in the April 17 walk may be interested in tuning in to CFPL TV London on Sunday afternoon between 4 and 5 p.m. That's when Audrey Skinner, organizer of the walkathon, will be presenting a cheque for 516, 847.41 to telethon officials. This is the third year for the wal- kathon which is in memory of Au- drey and Steve Skinner's daughter Stephanie Lynn. Last year a cheque for just over $18,000 was presented by the Skin- ner's during the telethon. Vandals smash Exeter business window EXETER - Several acts of van- dalism were reported to the OPP this week. May 23 the window of Selah Family Book Store, facing the Main St. in Exeter, was smashed. Last Tuesday the Exeter PUC re- ported a "Road Closed" sign had been removed from it's location at McConnell Street in Exeter. The following day a swimming pool on William Street was vandal- ized when bricks thrown in the pool caused damage. At the Dashwood Ambulance a car was damaged when a sharp ob- ject was used to put two scrapes along the passenger door and the right fender. if you have any information about these or other crimes please call the Exeter OPP detachment at 235-1300. Junior Achievement Young entrepreneur program coming to Exeter schools Seepages D -Day Local veterans recall the turning point !al, World War !1 See pages 6 and 7 Air A., show Grand Bend hosts huge event, but where were the crowds See pages 10and 11 Comedy show Laughs raise funds for public pool See page 12 Fa. Country stars Cassandra Vasik and Jim Witter entertain in Exeter See Crossroads, Second front ' WOSSA , i` South Huron hosts senior soccer tournament See page 16 Classifieds` pages 19-21 nouncemonts pages 22-23 Experts .;'024 us, ome Locator By Catherine O'Brien T -A staff EXETER - The possible closing of weekday emergency services at South Huron Hospital was a key concern of many people who met with MPP Paul Klopp last Tuesday night. Klopp was at th(Lions Youth Centre last week to meet with com- munity members individually for an informal chat. But a number of people wanted to sit down with the MPP as a group to discuss the hospital issue specifically. "I want you to do something about it," one man said. "I've paid taxes all my life for this kind of coverage. I feel like I'm being held hostage now," he said. The man told Klopp that he moved to Exeter because there was a hospital in town. "I don't want it taken away from me," he said. The man went on to say some people will think twice about mov- ing to a town, or staying in a town that doesn't have adequate emer- gency services. Klopp told the dozen orso people that the Ontario government re- alizes there is a very real problem regarding doctors and medical ser- vices in rural areas throughout the province. "I've been told by many people including doctors that the system is failing," Klopp said. "But it's not an easy issue." He said the government is having a tough time dealing with the issue because the key players - being the Ontario Hospital Association and the Ontario Medical Association - don't want to sit down and find a long term solution to the problem. Klopp said he has been told by many rural doctors that they are un- happy with their organization. "The doctors association refuses to look at a different fee structure for rural and northern doctors," Klopp said. "The emergency care problem is just the tip of the ice- berg in problems with the system," Klopp said. On the local level, Klopp said hospital administration at South Huron were doing a fine job trying to get a deal with the issue. "Hospital boards are entitled to say they can't take money out of budgets for doctors. It's only a short term solution, he said. "We have to come up with a long term Ontario solution." As well, Klopp said he has told the minster of health his opinion on the issue and he encouraged people in the community to write Ruth Grier and voice their concerns. Pie in the eye Lucky draw winners at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School got a chance to have a bit of fun with the principal, a teacher and the school president Thursday as part of fundraising efforts to sponsor a family in India. Pictured above is Greg Caslick presenting school president Darryl Romphf with a pie. Below, principal David Sharpe recovers from his hit. So far the students have raised more than $500. Emergency gets another reprieve But if a deal is reached with doctors, how will the hospital pay? By Adrian Harte T -A Editor EXETER - South Huron Hospital's emer- gency room got yet another reprie ie this Mon- day, and will remain open 24 hours a day at least for another two weeks. Administrator Don Currell, however, is now confident an agreement can be reached with local doctors to keep emergency open permanently. As of Friday morning, Currell said he had been expecting the hospital board's deadline to pass without an agreement, causing emer- gency to close weekdays as of Monday. But an offer made later that day by the seven local doctors who staff emergency, convinced the board to extend yet another two-week deadline for negotiations. Correll still wouldn't release details of what the doctors were asking for, but said it was "a formula we were more interested in pursuing". Whatever the specific formula as to how the doctors will be paid for staffing emergency, Curren said the board is still interested in keeping annual costs down to $100,000 - con- siderably less than the $250,000 last fall's agreement would cost. "We're in business for another couple of weeks," said Currell, but added he is hopeful an agreement can be found. "i think we're get- ting closer." One question that will remain is how the hospital can accommodate an extra $ I00,000 for doctors' fees into its budget. A letter from health minister Ruth Grier insists that the province will only pay doc- tors from the $3.85 billion set aside for OHIP fees. Because the hospital is be- ing asked to top -up OHIP fees to an hourly wage dur- ing slack emergency room times, the board will have a hard time getting the money ince. "That letter is very explicit that we shouldn't be paying anything," said Currell, but noted there are about 48 hospitals in Ontario with contracts for emergency staffing and "more coming every day". Last fall's deal with the doctors to guarantee them S60 an hour to be on call around the clock for emergency has been ruled out as too expensive for the hospital's budget. The Goderich hospital reached an agreement with its doctors to guarantee them a number of emergency visits per day, paying S42 for each visit short of that number. In Wingham, doctors are paid $300 a day to be on call, plus whatever OHIP killings they receive. Both Goderich and Wingham's for- mulas cost their hospitals about $100,000 per year. On weekends, gency is staffed "Payment for physician emergency service is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, not hospitals." from the prov- South Huron Hospital's emer- by doctors from London who aren't paid by the hos- pital, but receive only OHIP fees for the patients they treat. Monday, the Ontario Hospital Association made a plea to the min- istry to end the "topping - up" fees being paid to physicians by hospitals. "Payment for physician emergency service is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, not hospitals," said Dennis Timbrell, president of the OHA. "Scarce hospital resources are not fair game to be used as additional pay- ments in order to provide a critical service to the community." Timhrell said last November's request the minstry deal with the problem did not lead to any meaningful solutions. "Now there are even more hospitals being confronted by de- mands from their physicians. The situation is deteriorating." The OHA say 14 Ontario hospitals have been forced to cut back their emergency ser- vices. • ABCA approves shoreline plan The controversial document vyill be released today By Catherine O'Brien T -A staff EXETER - After three years in the develop- ment stage, the Ausable-Bayfield Conserva- tion Authority has finally adopted a shoreline management plan. "Basically it's a Tong -range land use plan- ning guide," said ABCA planning supervisor Patrick Donnelly. The document, which will be available to the public starting today, attempts to explain how and why flooding and erosion ocenr& along the lakeshore and why it occurs at dif- ferent rates. it also discusses options to protect the shore, environmental impacts and land development guidelines. The ABCA expects the new planning docu- ment will be an excellent reference guide for shoreline property owners and local govern- ment officials living along the lake from Port Franks to just north of Bayfield. Donnelly said this plan, which was ap- proved on April 21, will give local mu- nicipalities along the shore greater control in the future when it comes to lakeshore is- sues. "Shoreline management is being discussed at many different levels of government," said Donnelly. "1 think we've taken the bull by the horns on this issue," he said. He said the new plan reflects local needs and this may not have been the case if the ABCA waited until government agencies mandated guidelines. "I feel fortunate we have done something lo- cally." Donnelly said. Although the plan has only been in the works since 1991, the ABCA and government agencies realized some kind of pian was need- ed after what Donnelly referred to as "a high lake period in 1986." He said at this time a lot of flooding and ero- sion occurred along shorelines across the Great Lakes. "We realized the best way to make sure this doesn't happen again is to make some changes on our own," Donnelly said. "It's a proactive approach." That meant putting together a 23- member steering committee of local municipal pol- iticians, cottage owners as well as county plan- ners. 'The committee held 10 meetings and re- ceived comments from more than one thou- sand people over the past three years before the plan was finalized. "The shoreline management plan reflects the principles of good land use planning," Donnel- ly said. 1 Children's hospital receiving walkathon cheque EXETER - Proceeds from the an- nual Skinner walkathon last month will be presented on the Children's Miracle Network Telethon this coming Sunday. The telethon is the main fundraiser for the Chil- dren's Hospital of Western Ontario in London. Those who participated in the April 17 walk may be interested in tuning in to CFPL TV London on Sunday afternoon between 4 and 5 p.m. That's when Audrey Skinner, organizer of the walkathon, will be presenting a cheque for 516, 847.41 to telethon officials. This is the third year for the wal- kathon which is in memory of Au- drey and Steve Skinner's daughter Stephanie Lynn. Last year a cheque for just over $18,000 was presented by the Skin- ner's during the telethon. Vandals smash Exeter business window EXETER - Several acts of van- dalism were reported to the OPP this week. May 23 the window of Selah Family Book Store, facing the Main St. in Exeter, was smashed. Last Tuesday the Exeter PUC re- ported a "Road Closed" sign had been removed from it's location at McConnell Street in Exeter. The following day a swimming pool on William Street was vandal- ized when bricks thrown in the pool caused damage. At the Dashwood Ambulance a car was damaged when a sharp ob- ject was used to put two scrapes along the passenger door and the right fender. if you have any information about these or other crimes please call the Exeter OPP detachment at 235-1300.