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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-11-30, Page 9:t Board wants no part of consultant ... from page 1 we can do about it," commented Mrs. Berry. Board member Andy Boutilier got approval for his motion to write once more to the Ministry of Health to oppose this edict to hire a team of management consultants. "We should be given at least a year to control expenditures at the hospital," reasoned Boutilier. He went on to suggest the board should employ whatever "delay tactics" it could and claimed the Ministry should agree that if no significant improvement is noted in the board's handling of financial affairs at AM&G then and only then should a management consulting firm be retained. The monthly financial statement for AM&G did show that expenditures are coming back into line with budget guidelines. At the end of October, the hospital was $6,537 over budget, slightly more than at the end of September. According to Jim McCaul, chairman off finance, that figure would have been considerably lower had it not been for a lump sum payment of severance pay to Mrs. Charity McDonald, former director of nursing at AM&G who has recently retired due to ill health. "By the end of December, though, we are hoping to be back in line," said McCaul. Dr. Bruce Thomson told the board that another consultant at AM&G at this time would be harmful to the hospital. He pointed out the only cost savings that would be acheived would be through staff cuts and felt this kind of threat would not improve the morale or the efficiency at the hospital at the moment. "It is hard to geta position -el strength when you are dealing with the Ministry," claimed Dr. Thomson. "But the Ontario Hospital Association is coming around • and, you may have a stronger position than you had before." Board chairman Jo Berry, also a director of the- OHA, said that organization has "great concern that the Ministry is steadily un- dermining the authority" of the constitutions under which hospital boards operate. "The Ministry doesn't do anything to en- courage hospitals to save money, for as soon as they ..have- .;.any -:.money,_ itis promptly. taken.. away," said Mrs. Berry. She told the board appropriate action may be to "call their bluff" and inform the Ministry of Health the board of AM&G refuses to hire a management consulting firm. Bruce Potter agreed, saying that $3,000 a week for a team of management consultants would be more money than the $140,000 ap- proximately given to AM&G by the Ministry in a special grant. "Why can't we get a $10,000 report?" asked 'Potter. The board member stated that it should be ... possible to get someone with some expertise in ;this;field'. into the hospital who could be an flyverall. examination of the various depart- •rn nts,at work in the building, and' from that 1stidy determine ways and means to effect and onal savings. 'n r ylcCarRu , xg cr' caJ of attempting any kind of a reporton. cost -savings at the present `time. "If we get the report, the Ministry gets the report," pointed out McCaul. "If the report suggests that you get rid of 10 people, where does that leave you?" THE WALKER REPORT A report from another consultant, Miss Grace Walker, consultant in nursing ad- ministration from the Institutional Operations Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Health, is already under heavy discussion by board members and is particularly distressing to the medical profession in Goderich. Miss Walker visited AM&G in July and made some assessments of the hospital which the doctors of the community consider unfair. The medical staff strongly opposed Miss Walker's report at the October meeting of the board, and, Miss Joyce Shack, director of nursing at AM&G was to send her written comments to the board about Miss Walker's findings in time for the November meeting. Miss Shack's letter was before the board Monday evening, but it was not read aloud and it was not discussed because Miss Shack was unable to be present due to illness. For that reason, board chairman Berry asked that the entire matter be set aside until the December meeting of the board. - "Since it deals with her department, it is only fair that she be present," said Berry. Dr. Conlon disagreed and pushed for the matter to be brought to a conclusion. "Miss Walker's letter was a critical letter with far reaching, negative implications which the medical profession considers disruptive, unwarranted and not true," insisted Dr. Conlon. "I would rather Miss Shack were here when this is discussed," said Mrs. Berry, who had the support of Elmer Taylor. "She (Miss Shack) spent the time with Miss Walker during her visit to the hospital," said Taylor. Taylor did point out that according to Miss Shack's written reply to the board, Miss Walker had visited the minimal care unit very early in its development. "We're not sure her comment would have been the same if it had been later," reasoned Taylor. He went on to say there may have been some "misunderstanding" which led to the statements involving the operating room. "It is obvious the medical staff and the nursing administration do not see it (Miss Walker's letter) the same way," said Clark Teal. "Miss Shack is talking more of a visit and not of the letter," --Dr: • Thomson. advised. -"Miss Walker's letter implies waste and abuse of Recommend meet on minimal care BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER The medical staff at Alexandra Marine and General ' Hospital is recom- mending a meeting between the hospital administration, the - ;-nursing - administration . : and medical staff as soon.as possible to iron out "the areas of concern and uncertainty as to the role, function and use of the minimal care area in the future'-". President of the medical' staff at AM&G Dr. Michael Conlon, told the board Monday evening that further clarification is necessary concerning the minimal care unit which was criticised in a recent consultant's report by Miss Grace Walkerof the Ministry of Health for Ontario. Dr. Bruce Thomson ad- yised ihe boar that `tis The opinion of the me* stuff ' that Miss Walker's report to the Ministry, could have "serious implications" for the future of AM&G. "The Ministry must have an opinion of a very loose �.:.coineept,': said D-r.!rho rison. "The mechanisms are in placein the minimal care area," Dr. Thomson told the board, "but now it remains to make it work. We've got to be able to convince the Ministry it is going to work. We've got to show something more definite." Dr. Thomson expressed the opinion that the minimal care unit is a concept which could work for along time to help, cut costs: and. improve patient care at AM&G but it must be more clearly, specified when, how and why the minimal care unit can be used most -efi€e,eti,Ibel 4o i achieve the- A DEDIOJTION SERVICE.... Decernber 1st forihecpe.niric.t HTON STREET GO iERICH of rtnttii oob ook bop 524-4; 35 OODERICHBI9N144TAR, TkIMPAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1978'AOS 9 ', here's nothing wrong with informing the Ministry we're not toe' happy with the corn- rnents," • said McCaul "We are perfee.i 1y en- titled to make nay representation we wish. Nobody here likes -to see the staff berated.. But we have to go through with this thing as we agreed." Teal suggested the board should write a letter to the Ministry advising that the report by Miss Walker didn't,, reflect the tones of her discussions with the nursing staff, "We could also point out that the medical staff saw this as very negative and very shallow thinking," offered Teal. "Will the board directly counter some of the implications in Miss Walker's report? Or ask • for further discussion with Miss Walker? Or 'will the report stand?" asked Dr. Thomson. Teal suggested that in his opinion, the hospital's recent three-year accreditation will "pull more weight" with the Ministry than Miss Walker's letter. Dr. Thomson disagreed and board member Bruce Potter agreed with the doctor. "They'll take their own findings under their own letterhead," said Potter. The letter to the Ministry about Miss Walker's report will be written by Elmer Taylor. In the meantime, the board awaits Miss Shack's return and her appearance at the next. board meeting to discuss ,more fully her im- pressions of the Walker report. 'Do you think the Ministry has a -managernent,.c,.onsu.ltant--they .-can--send • i for--.: nothing, thatwe can ignore?" quipped McCaul. funds. I would rather hate to see it degenerate into a disagreement between nursing staff and medical staff. What's more to the point is what the Ministry thinks of.the.report." - A MEDICAL CONSULTANT? It was Clark Teal who wanted to know when the doctors were going to invite the Ministry's medical consultant to attend the hospital. "I think the medical staff welcomes con- sultation any time, if it is constructive," said Dr. Conlon. "We don't have any choice in the matter. It shouldn't be postponed," said Teal. "We agreed to do it. It doesn't have to be a negative report." "The meeting with the nurses might have been constructive, but the report was destructive," pointed out Dr. Thomson. "If we can see some resolution to the negative effect this report has had, the medical staff would be interested in a medical consultant coming to the hospital. But we are not interested in someone to come up here and talk to us sweetly and then go back and write a report like that." "It's a little frightening," continued Dr. Thomson. "It could be loosely called a hatchet job on the hospital's concept." Jim McCaul asked if the medical staff had >tlotd.__anychanges _because orf -Miss Walker's report. 1' /uncooi'i Fashions for my every mood! -• - .and to see thosefashions fit here are" 'my sizes dear. In case you need it, my HEIGHT IS WEIGHT IS Detach on Dotted line and leave where it can be easily found. Gift Certificates Lay -a -way . char e 1plan ItARGEX .5uncoost Mull Phone 524-9449 OPEN: mon:: to Fri., 10 a.m. to 9 p.m./Sat., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m..