HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-03-29, Page 20PAGE 20—GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1979
Board plans interim hospital bed shuffle
BY JEFF SEDDON
The Alexandra Marine and General hospital
board decided Tuesday night to play the same
statistical game the ministry of health played
when it ordered hospital beds closed at AM&G.
The board devised a scheme that should
allow the hospital to weather the bed cut order
from the ministry until the board can gather
statistics to prove its case against bed cuts.
Jim McCaul explained to the board that the
board's management committee had, worked
out a formula for designating beds with
medical staff at the hospital He said the aim
was to shuffle beds around the hospital to
permit the board to meet ministry orders to
close beds but still ease concerns doctors had
about the hospita'l's efficiency.
The ministry, of health ordered AM&G to
close 15 of its active treatment beds by April 1
or face stiff penalties. The ministry did not
clearly indicate what those penalties would be
but the hospital board suspects the government
would withhold funds from. the hospital. Last
Year failures to comply with ministerial
demands cost the board $00,000 in penalties.
McCaul said the board would comply with the
ministry order and close 15 active treatment
beds. But he added that the closing would only
be on paper. He said the board would report to
the ministry that 43 rather than 58 active
treatment beds were operating.
He explained that the plan was to establish a
nine bed day care area in the hospital. The beds
would not be listed as staffed active treatment
beds but would be available to doctors if the
need arose for them. He said the AM&G ad-
mission flow dictated that several times during
the year more than 43 beds will be needed: He
said when those situations arise the day care
area can be pressed into service,
Coupled with- the 'day care area will be an
enlarged chronic bed area. The board plans to
increase its number of chronic beds to between
22 and 25 and separate the chronic beds from
active treatment beds. The ministry ordered
only active treatment beds closed according to
McCaul and said nothing about chronic beds.
He told the board the scheme had been
discussed with ministry of health officials who
indicated that there should be no problem. He
said the officials sail the plan permitted the
hospital to maintain the efficiency the doctors
wanted and still stay within ministry orders.
The medical staff of the hospital approves of
the board's scheme claiming it reduces the
risks ofreleasing patients from hospital earlier
than they should be. The doctors felt that with
the reduced number of active treatment beds
patients would have to be hustled in and out of
the beds because of the reduced numbers.
McCaul explained that the nine bed day care
area would handle that overload when it
existed. Extra staff would not have to be hired
to care for patients in those betis and doctors
would have them, at theirs disposal to admit
patients needing hospital care at times when all
43 active beds are filled.
The ministryVlrealth supports the plan to
expand chronic beds in the hospital because of
a shortage of nursing home beds. The ministry
has been under considerable pressure from
nursing home operators to permit expansion of
those homes but has delayed permission to
expand because of costs to operate those beds.
The board felt that it could take advantage of
the ministry hesitance to open more nursing
home beds by expanding its chronic bed area.
But board members want to be very careful not
to substitute chronic beds for active beds. Some
are leery about falling . into the trap of
establishing chronic b&ds and reducing active
beds.
Bob Dempsey told the board it should be
careful not to stop its fight for relief from the
ministry bed cut order. He said the ministry is
in support of expanding chronic beds but the
board wants its active treatment beds left
alone. He• said the ministry is solving two
"pressure cookers" by increasing chronic beds
because it is reducing hospital costs for active
treatment beds and nursing home bed costs.
"I hope the long range plan doesn't suffer,"
said Dempsey. "The board still hag to push for
its active treatment beds and endorse the
recommendation for more nursing home
beds."
Board chairman Jo Berry warned doctors not
to consider the day care area as active treat-
ment beds. She said the medical staff could slip
into the practice of making frequent use of the
beds forcing the board to hire-, staff to man
them. She said the board simply does not have
money to take on staff or operate the beds and
could face ministry penalties for doing so.
Dr. Ken Lambert told the board that doctors
would not be using beds unless necessary but
pointed out when they are needed they have to
be used, regardless of cost.
"If we have sick patients we have to look
after them and that's all there ,is to it," said
Lambert. "Fiscal policies be damned."
Board treasurer Gordon Crabb objected to
Lambert's passing off financial problems
facing the hospital. Crabb pointed out that
while doctors have an obligation to patients the
board has an obligation to the public paying for
the hospital. He said the board has a respon-
sibility to operate the hospital on the funds
provided. He added that he was "scared of
ending.up another year with a $150,000 deficit".
The treasurer said he did not want to see the
hospital "drift off into another deficit situation
just to prove a point".
Government official to be in Holmesville this Tuesday
April 3, 8 -p.m. is, the
date set for a special
meeting when Mr. Al
Sinclair of the Ministry of
culture and recreation
will discuss the proposed
sports complex with the
combined Goderich
township council and
Goderich township
recreation board.
This was the special
announcement by
chairman, Gerry Ginn at
the •Goderich township
recreation monthly
meeting at Holrnesville
on Wednesday March 21.
Those attending «ere
Gerry Ginn, Doug Yeo,
Hazel McCreath, Grant
Stirling, Joe Fritzley,
Walter Macllwain. Bev
Orr, Marilyn Forbes,
Audrey Middleton, and
two visitors.
To further report on the
sports complex
developments, Gerry
Ginn reported that a
survey of the sports field
has now been completed
and that a needs test
study will be conducted,
as required by Wintario
Tickets for the spring
dance March 25 were
available for distribution.
A motion was made to
offer a token gift of two -
tickets to the dance to the
caretaker of the school
arid to give a token
monetary gift to the
school for the special
privileges allowed for the
winter volleyball
program, which proved
very successful.
A delegation of two
softball, volunteers, Del
Schloendorf and Art Bell
arrived at the meeting
and presented some
proposals for the softball
program. Discussion
followed and Gerry Ginn
thanked them for their
proposals and their in-
terest in township sports.
Missionary to speak here
The 32nd annual
meeting of the Synodical
Society of Hamilton -and
...London of the Women's
Missionary Society
(W.D.) of the
Presbyterian Church in
Canada will be held this
year in Knox
Presbyterian Church,
Goderich, on April 10 and
11. The theme is "The
Light of the' World". All
are welcome to attend.
The devotions at each
of the sessions will be
conducted by Miss
Beatr.ice Scott, retired
missionary from India.
Special speaker for
both the Tuesday and
Wednesday afternoon
gr-a-nts•-syste_rn. _b.yDr.
Fuller of the University Margaret
of Guelph.
Kennedy, one
of the most familiar and
Circle meets
The Sunset Circle
Housewife Club of
Goderich held a very
successful euchre 500 and
crokinole party at the
MacKay Hall on March 12
to celebrate the 32nd
birthday of the club.
Winners of prizes were
as follows: euchre - high
lady, Evelyn Van-
derburgh, low lady, Lily
Christilaw, high man,
Nicky Littlechild, and
low -man, -Roy Ashton; 500
- high lady, Vernice
Stanbury, low lady,
Myrtle Good, high man,
Lee Littlechild, andlow
Man, Orby Cook; and
crokinole - high, Beulah
Good, and low. Frances
Littlechild.
Several lucky draws
were made. A hand
knitted afghan was won
by Vietta George; a box
of groceries by Olive
Gilbert; a box of
groceries by Olive Rean;
a money tree by Myrtle
Good; registration draw
by Marjorie Carey.
The club's president,
Grace Littlechild,
thanked everyone for
coming.
Then lunch was served
to complete a very en-
joyable evening.
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on Christian Mission
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Montreal.
As well as the con-
ducting of the business of
the Synodical, another
highlight of the meetings
will be a discussion and
question box on, "The
State of the Church",
conducted by Mrs. J.
Cassidy of the Synodical.
Mrs. Carl Remus of
Paisley will preside.
New grandstand
impresses town
Members of the Goderich Sports Committee
toured the new grandstand Sunday and
discussed alternatives for future fund raising to
pay the balance of the debt."
Committee members were most impressed
with the new grandstand and suggested the
public be invited to tour the facility before
being asked to support additional fund raising.
The Sports Committee raised approximately
$90,000 through a weekly lottery but will need at
least that much again to finish paying for
construction and bank costs after grants.
The group discussed several •fund raising
avenues but will first wait for a completion date
and word from council on whether they intend
to move the recreation office to the grandstand.
Clerk Larry McCabe indicated that moving the
recreation office to the grandstand would mean
a loss of between $10,000-$15,000 in grant money
since it would be considered as town use rather
than public. r
The recreation board has budgeted $8,000 to
relocate the recreation office but that figure
has not been approved in the final budget.
The committee discussed the possibility of
running another lottery since the current lot-
tery ends in April. Some .members felt the
community would not readily support another
$100 dollar a ticket lottery but it was suggested
that previous buyers be canvassed and con-
sensus taken before heading into the project.
Members agreed to invite the public to an
open house at the grandstand when it was
complete, to view the facility and its potential.
A wine and cheese party may held in con-
junction with the open house and citizens would
be canvassed about another lottery.
The committee will meet again to plan firm
strategy when they know the completion date
for the grandstand and if the recreation offices
are to be relocated there.
C
Fight...
• from page 1
statistics were being used to indicate .that
AM&G didn't need the beds it had and the
hospital was being reduced in its ability to
handle the health care needs of the community
it served.
He pointed out that if the statistics were not
argued the hospital may find itself in a position
where it has more chronic beds than active and
the ministry decides it is too small to continue
to operate as an active treatment centre.
"If we allow the active treatment beds to be
reduced to 43 we are selling the public short,"
said Thomson. "In fact we're selling them out."
The board decided to hire the 'legal firm of
Donnelly and Murphy to see if a legal case can
be prepared to fight the ministry of health's
order to cut the active treatment beds. The
board also wants to find out if the ministry of
health can legally penalize AM&G if the
hospital refuses to close the beds the ministry
wants Closed.
Board chairman Jo Berry pointed out to the
board that when the province established the
Ontario Health Insurance Plan it contracted to
deliver health care services in the province.
She addA that re -cent government decisions
indicated that now the province was
"reneging'd
Upon their departure
further discussion took
place.
A motion was made to
set up a softball executive
committee of four per-
sons to manage the 1979
ball program. A list of
possible members was
made from which Gerry
Ginn chairman of the rec.
board will approach for
a ppointr5'`ent.
The following rules for
the softball executive
committee to abide by
were made: the softball
executive committee will
elect a chairman for their
committee; they will
prepare and conduct
registration, and set up
teams; a list of extra
equipment required
during the year must be
submitted to the rec.
committee before pur-
chase; a petty cash fund
of $50 for incidentals will
be entrusted to the
chairman; three
members of the softball
executive must approve
of any purchases; a
liaison person from the
softball executive
committee will keep open
the lines of com-
munications between the
softball program and the
recreation .committee;
renovations and upkeep
of the softball fields shall
be the responsibility of
the rec. committee.
To begin the season; the
rec. committee promised
to investigate the pur-
chase of "T" ball
equipment, and search
for more • coaches.
assistants, as well as
umpires. Volunteer
helpers are rare and
therefore very valuable
to our township children.
Do you know of anyone?
It was moved by Grant
Stirling seconded by
Walter Macllwain • that
township pens be
presented to the
volleyball coaches Dave
Scholl, Bill Rapson,
Helen Steenstra as ap-
preciation gifts.
A spring newsletter
introducing the , year's
proposed programs and
ambitions will be
prepared and presented
for approval by Doug Yeo
at the April meeting.
The next regular
meeting of the rec:
committee will be held
Wednesday April 18 at
8:30. We welcome
visitors.—by Audrey
Middleton.
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