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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1984-05-30, Page 2• • /. I i 1. ..r.,r v,% Increasing costs and demand for services are straining Ontario's health care system. The new provincial budget allocates $8.2 billion for health care costs in the next year. At the local level, the Clinton Public Hospital will operate with. a budget of more than $3 million. Additional funding from the government and the comnliunity may be required if large capital equipment purchases, renovations or expansions are approved. (Shelley, McPhee photo) $y Shelley.MePh "Tlte people's hospital,' 'ls. ho* administrator Dan Steyn deser-lbes the Clinton Public Hospital 40P10, He says, "No individuals make the Clinton Public Hospital, we're bore to operate for the community's benefit." Community awareness . and public involvement are high priority items at CPH. The hospital's future depends on this and Mr. Steyn and the board of directors believe that the hospital will only continue to provide quality services and care if public support is provided. Changing image In the past, hospitals and the health care industry have been held in ,awe by the general public. Medical institutions have been perceived as sterile, unaccessible, secluded facilities. . Today attempts are being made to change the image, locally afid at the provincial level. In previous decades the provincial government accepted- a majority of the responsibility for, the health care, system. However today, faced with heavy debts and an increased demand, the responsbility is being put back to the local level, both for financing and management. To continue providing services that were given to hospitals in the past two decades by the government, volunteers and community support is essential. The ..onus is a heavy one, and Mr. Steyn admits that health costs are running wild. "This is now being exploited by both governments, but the politicians are to blame, they gave out the big grants and wage settlements." The huge grants and expansion projects that took place in Ontario hospitals in the 1960s no longer exist in the 1980s. The Ontario Ministry of Health has some $4.5 billion worth of redevelopment projects on its books for the .next decade and funding simply isn't available to meet the demand. Randy Hagerman, director of the Ministry's. Institutional Planning Branch noted in a recent Ontario Hospital Association publication, "We don't see that the government is ever going to be able, as it did in the early '60s, 'to meet 'almost every request that comes in." The alternative is not closure, as CPH nearly experienced eight years ago: Mr. Steyn believes, "Closing days are gone, the hospital is here to stay." The hospital's future success will come from cost cutting measures, some budget BUSINESS AND. PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY OPTOMETRY R.W. BELL . OPTOMETRIST The Square, GODERICH 524-7661 JOHN LONGSTAFF OPTOMETRIST Seaforth 527-1240 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00-5:30 Saturday 9:00-12:00 noon Closed Wednesdays BY APPOINTMENT Free parking on premises ELECTRIC Ot Ose ret60 e1 letrtbro9 *ECONOMY •QUALITY •SERVICE "Big lobs or small, we guarantee them all" 482-7374 CLINTON OR CALL 1-S 0-363-9255 ASK FOR PAGER NO. 347 REPAIR Clinton Electric ® white -Westinghouse Ih tp[rint Appliances Sales and Service APPLIANCE REPAIRS ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE 90 ALBERT ST. 482-3646 APPLIANCE and REFRIGERATION REPAIR SERVICE Jim Broadfoot 482.7032 INSURANCE, GAISER-KNEALE INSURANCE BROKERS INC. Insurance -Real Estate Investments Isaac St., Clinton Phone Office 482-9747 Len Theodora 482-7994 Hal Hartley 482-3693 Bob Thomas 482-3096 Bill Counter 432-3687 JOHN WISE INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. General Insurance Guaranteed Investments Clinton Office: 412-9644 Ras.: 4112-7265 ABATTOIR SERVICE BENDER'S ABATTOIR Home Grown Beef and Pork Mill Street, Hensall 262-3130 Wholesale, Retail and Custom Slaughtering. Kill day Tuesday. NO CHARGE FOR BEEF SLAUGHTERING IN MAY. Market weight hogs. Complete flat rate '35,00 Book in advance Tuesday, May lst to Thursday May 31st Our own chubs, Bologna, Wieners, PoII h & Summer Sausage, Jelllod Pork and Processed Harris & Picnics. Our Motto is - "The Golden Rule" HILL'S PAINTING •Interior or .Exterior *Residential Service *Reasonable Rates 565-2451 MASONRY CAM HOLLAND MASONRY • Brick • Block • Angelstone FREE ESTIMATES 527-1906 WELDING STELARC METAL PRODUCTS *Iron Railings *Trailers & Hitches *General Fabricating *Portable Welding Equipment Phoe,e 482-9010 ACCOUNTANT LENTZ AND JEFFERY CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS KARL C. LENTZ P.O. BOX 305 BLYTH, ONT. NOM 1HO (519) 523-9589 JOHN W. JEFFERY P.O. BOX 909 MOUNT FOREST, ONT. NOG 2L0 (519) 323-4114 PHOTOGRAPHY f itzserakl Studios photography, custom framing fine art prints 400 James Street Clinton 482-3890 GLASS/ALUMINUM See IUs for your building projects *Glass and mirrors O En•rgy-efficient replacement windows •Window i screen repair •Plexiglau * Door service and repairs • Complete range of aluminum siding and building products clinton Q)ldCS \Wl Wl/ rttlee or rind asksrrsffrusrsa pwoduots 94 Prlmow. 4t. West. CLINTON 482-3322 MECHANICAL "BAILEY'S P.O. BOX 29 MILL STREET, HENSALL, ONT. NOM 1 XO HEATING it AIR CONDITIONING * SHEET METAL SALES * SERVICE * SATIFISFACTION BILL BAILEY 262-2020 Specialists in Pulse Combustion Heating ghtening,• 404.411040.41g:from the f mmunity. T.0.14,a not *Ott that the • -twin gOvakiallencompletely, o ted out. Eaet, the recent prrovutcial budget, 8 2 halloo was allocated for health care funding over the next 12 months. According to the Ontario Health Association, health care in the past year took the biggest portion of the province's. annual budget, amounting to $7 billion. Of this $4 billion was spent on operating Costs at the province's 280 ,hospitals, while $120 million is set aside for capital funding. Government money is still available, Mr. Steyn says, but the system is backlogged and funding applications haven't been able to keep pace with increasing costs and demand. CPH is still looking for government funding to help offest construction costs at the new emergency out-patient wing that opened last year. Mr. Steyn hopes that the financing will be.available this year: The government has tried to alleviate the problem by allowing hospitals to bank any savings instead of turning profits over to the province. Unfortunately, the CPH bank account was drained by the $1 million emergency out-patient expansion. Of that just over $368,000 was financed by public fund raising efforts. Mr. Steyn believes that the addition was essential and its value has been proven in the community_. Utilization of out-patient services at CPH has increased three times and quadrupled in the physiotherapy department in the past three years. In the past year approximately 27,500 used the out- patient services at CPH. Mr. Steyr noted that the expansion was, "applauded by the•government," because it helped to reduce in-patient, overnight care, thus reducing costs. Future funding needs When renovation, expansion and substantial capital projects are considered in the future at CPH, the community will .again be asked for their financial support. "We have to look somewhere for funding," Mr. Steyn says. "The hospital has always had to look to the community for extra funding." High priority projects at CPH include capital equipment purchases and. the proposed renovation or expansion of the chronic care and obstetrics departments. This summer the CPH board of directors will be making a decision regarding plans for the second floor chronic care and obstetrics wing. Presently the two departments are housed in a '23 -year old wing of the hospital. Increased demands on both . areas and outdated facilities have made this a high priority project. • . • Renovation plans would cost in the neighborhood of $300,000. This would increase the obstetrics area, but . would reduce the chronic care ward. Expansion of the wing, to provide a new obstetrics area could cost approximately $500,000. Mr. Steyn says he's a man who wants to see things done right and he supports the addition proposal. Renovating the wing, he says, is a "bandage approach." Mr. Steyn supports the proposal with facts and figures: Inrecent years there has been a CPH Administrator Dan Steyn greater demand on the obstetrics services at CPH and Mr. Steyn says, "it's a necessity that Clinton really needs." In the past three years CPH has experienced a baby . boom. In 1981, 56 deliveries were made the the hospital. This increased to 101 newborns in 1982 and rose to 103 deliveries in 1983. It is estimated that 120 babies will be born at the Clinton hospital this year. ' "We have good specialists in obstetrics and we hope to become a centre in Huron County," Mr. Steyn says.. -Operating cost demands Not only major renovation and expansion projects. cost money. Everyday maintenance, salaries and upkeepat the hospital account for most of the yearly. operating budget. CPH operates on a budget of $3,500,000 and well over $2 million goes towards salaries. The hospital employs 120 people, including 66 fulltirne workers. Mr. Steyn says that 70 per cent of the budget goes to salaries because CPH is a service oriented facility. "Today people perceive hospital staff to make a good dollar," Mr. Steyn says, explaining that health •care people. have been well paid because of the strength of their unions. He noted however, that in the future closer evaluation of quality and value of work'will help to justify salaries. The annual budget also finances equipment purchases and the list at CPH runs well over $100,000. Replacement of a 25 - year old . piece of equipment in the To Steven Morley Clinton Joanne Bos Clinton Kimberley Lee Matthew Noy Bryan Watson Clinton Robyn Carnochan R.R. 4 Seaforth Debbie McLean cllntan Blyth Goderich On May 30 May 31 May 31 May 31 June 1 June 3 June 5 A PLACE FOR KIDS Those Hungry Mosquitoes Remember that awful buzzing sound that woke you up last summer? Well,..it's that time again. Yes, the mosquito is here for another sea- son — watch out! The buzzing, biting and itching is upon us once again. And you can blame the female of the species for all the aggravation. Male mosquitoes merely feed on fruit and Tants. It's the female who Jabs your skin with a ong tube-like mouth. She needs blood to help her eggs develop properly. Fetnale mosquitoes lay their eggs in water; any water will do --even a puddle ina rusty tin. There are always more mosquitoes after a rain — have Vou noticed? And there are more mosquitoes in the country than the city. That's because cities have drainage systems to get rid of water from streets and sidewalks. Mosquito bites itch because of'soine substances left behind after a female pokes through skin. Some people scratch wildly at their bites, while others hardly notice the tiny red Kamp. Scientists have found that mosquitoes like all types of human blood equally --it's the smell of some people which they find attractive. So if you don't want to get totally bitten, use mild soap and shampoo, and keep away from perfume. Happy swatting! 0itiributad by Canada Wide Partum SaNka linitad A c 1904 MacKay P ofharo laboratory will cost $25,00.0 and another piece of equipment in the nursery will colt .$7,000, . "We're looking for practical equipment that will -be used on a regular basis," Mr. Steyn says, noting that the hospital needs better equipment to meet the demands and to compete equally with other are hospitals. Medical equipment costs are exorbitant. Small demand and high .quality standards are two of the main reasons for the high price tags. The Ontario H6spital Association says that high cost of equipment contributes significantly to the need for increased capital funding. Twenty-five years ago an operating table cost $3,000. Today the price tag runs over $25,000. An intensive care bed costs $13,500, an operating room light, $15,650. A CAT scanner costs $1.5 million, but Mr. Steyn assures that CPH is not planning to buy equipment of that magnitude. The hospital needs basic equipment, essential to the everyday operation of the facility, like a new $3,000 ice machine to replace the 12 - year old model. , Mr. Steyn has been in the health care busines since 1963 and he comments, "Prices have skyrocketed, but control in the hospitals hasn't been lost" - Today the health care industry is attempting to change attitudes and services to ensure that the existing control isn't lost. Twenty years ago, hospitals and health care were specifically designed to cure the ill. Today more emphasis is been placed on preventative medicine and society is being asked to look more closely at lifestyles. "A person's misuse of their body causes a large portion of health problems," Mr. Steyn says, noting that 30 per cent of health problems are caused by poor eating habits and another 30 per cent by smoking and alcohol abuse. More money is being devoted to the preventative asepct of health care and Mr. Steyn believes, "that's the light at the end of the tunnel, Expenses would have been astounding if wehad followed the other system, just treatingthe ill." Provincewide concern Budget juggling and financial difficulties are not unique to CPH. Across the province, hospitals are facing similar problems. The 34 -bed Bruce Peninsula and District Memorial Hospital in Wiarton is barely surviving. Eventually, 28 beds will be added to the facility and expansion is needed at the emergency department . which sees 2,400 patients during the peak vacation months. Stratford General Hospital has been looking for government funding since 1970 to renovate its 200 -bed acute care facility and replace the 100 -bed extended care department. Costs are estimated at $12 - million. Optimistic future Mr. Steyn is optimistic about the future of the Clinton Public Hospital: It is supported by a population of 12,000, from Clinton and the surrounding townships, stretching from West Wawanosh Township in the north, to Zurich in the south. More than 20 area municipalities have been asked"to help fund paOital equipment costs this year. Clinton will consider a $10,000' request. from CPH at budget, time and Hullett Township'has already approved a $1,000 donation: Mr. Steyn says that the Clinton hospital is noted for its quality nursing care and its' tradition of attracting excellent surgeons. More minor and mjaor surgery is, performed at CPH than any other hospital in the county. "Canada's health care system is the best in the world,'." Mr. Steyn says, "but to have this, the pricehas to be paid." SETS THE STANDARD PSSSST! WANT A GREAT DEAL? BUY A MAZDA B2000 PICKUP IN STOCK by Saturday, June 2, 1984 and receive "FREE" ZIEBART RUSTPROOFING SPORT PAC STRIPING AND FLOOR MATS $A'7OO Retail 43 Value Come in and see us today M -W MOTOR' SALES & SERVICE 184 EAST ST., GODERICH 524.2113