Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-06-28, Page 3Hospital BY SHIRLEY J.KELLER It may be true that Goderich and area people love a disaster. At least that is what some D members of the Board of Governors at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital were thinking Monday evening after such a small turnout for the hospital's annual meeting. Only about 15 people excluding board mem- bers were present in the assessment office to hear *rom - • BY SHIRLEY J.KELLER It is usually a routine matter to appoint bankers for a public board or council, but at Monday evening's annual meeting of the Cor- poration of Goderich's Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, Dr. Ken Lambert introduced a curve into this normally simple procedure. Dr. Lambert, formerly of South Africa, asked the Corporation members if any of them knew whether or not the Bank of Montreal, the bank nominated to handle the hospital's accounts, had interests or holdings in South Africa. Heather Ross told Dr. Lambert and the audience she had just read a report which noted that all major Canadian banks have interests and holdings in South Africa. "Well, there you are," said Dr. Lambert, who sat down. The vote was handled and the Bank of Mon- treal.was approved as the hospital's bankers. +++ Some citizens at the hospital's annual meeting had some questions for the board members, several of them wondering just how the board keeps its Corporation members informed. Chairman Jo Berry said the board now gets good coverage in the local press as well as through some of the other media and felt this should be a help to the people who want to keep abreast of hospital affairs. One lady suggested the board should send out copies of the annual meeting reports and minutes of the annual meeting to all Corporation members. She said the local press would p-obably not carry a verbatim account of everything that went on. - Mrs. Berry reminded everyone that Cor- poration members could pick up a copy of the proceedings at the hospital. Dr. Michael Conlon agreed with the citizen that greater effort should be made by the board to keep Corporation members informed. He said while the press appears interested at the present time, the board could be left "high and dry" at some future date with no way to get the message to the people of the community. - No further discussion was heard on the matter and no action was taken . +++ the reports of one of AM&G's most difficult and dramatic years in recent memory. Because of the election off officers - the first in members from the steering committee meetings, on completion of each meeting. +'+ + The hospital is hoping to collect about ,65 percent of its bad debts. The overdue accounts have been placed in the hands off a Stratford collection agency. Gordon Crabb reported the finance committee is looking into the use of credit cards at the hospital so that visitors have some means to pay their accounts while they are still in the area. +++ One of the new pieces of equipment the hospital • is hoping to buy this year - if funds permit - is a gastroscope, an instrument for examining the stomach to detect ulcers, tumors and any abnormalities. • Dr. Ken Lambert estimated that as many. as 100 examinations per year from the Goderich area alone would be likely if a gastroscope was available to local physicians. At the present time, he said, patients who need this examination must go to London. He suggested, that if the instrument was in Goderich, other doctors in the county might refer their patients to Goderich for the examination rather than to city centres. "It could improve our referral patterns within Huron and at the Goderich hospital," Dr. Lambert suggested. The cost of the gastroscope is: $8,000 - not a small piece of change for a hospital with a very limited budget. The board of AM&G is still hopeful it will get back the $60,000 penalty levied against the hospital by the provincial government's ministry of health when the local hospital was found to be overbedded by five beds. The penalty was $12,000 per bed for a price tag of $60,000. , Board administrator' Elmer Taylor said the management board of the Ontario Ministry of Health has assured the hospital verbally that if any money is made available to hospitals for penalty returns, Goderich's hospital will be at the top of the list. - Dr. Ken Lambert said the Hon. Dennis Tim- brell, minister . of health, had made a flat statement during a meeting with board: mem-- bers from Goderich, that the $60,000 would be returned to AM&G's budget. "He should be reminded of that," offered one board member. "He's'on vacation," answered Chairman Jim McCaul. +++ GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 1979—PAGE 3 opti..i..i;st.i.c: annual rp.ort..- recent memory - Chairman Jo Berry and hospital administrator Elmer Taylor chose not to read their reports which were printed in the package handed out to all who attended the year's annual meeting, AM&G-ended this year of operation with a surplus of $66. "We've come a long way, said Chairman Jo Berry. She made special mention of the long hours meeting. y Jitn_McCaul, i-itwever, the report Of incoming board chair - the auditor, Bill Vodden.; the director of nursing Joyce Shack; the Chief of Staff, Dr. Kenton Lambert; the chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Michael Conlon; and the report of the Women's Hospital Auxiliary President, Mrs. Ora McCallum were given orally. Chairman Jo Berry reminded all memberstf the Corporation who did not attend the meeting, that copies of all the reports made at the annual meeting are available at the hospital for the asking. LOOKING GOOD After a devastating deficit reported at last a.4,1{,,rT ,': w retired from the board; and hospital employee Bill Duckworth who worked with her to "straighten things out". "To these people we owe a hearty vote of thanks," said Mrs. Berry. The chairman also commended the. new administrator Elmer Taylor who while he was still administrator at South. Huron Hospital in Exeter, provided much assistance to the board at AM&G. "To the staff who have come up with so many ingenious ways of cutting cots we say thank you," said Mrs. Berry. Total operating ex- penditure•. for the year was $4,141,364, an in- crease of 2.5 percent over new equipment or repair the pro -rated expend•ture old equipment. for the preceding fif�een "We just kept our month fiscal period. �a fingers crossed," Mrs. The total claims to the Berry admitted. Ministry of Health for Ontario Hospital BED CLOSINGS Insurance Plan insured servicesw.msetz;_ ., Z.f .s� _ �; . ,;-4carearea or 95 perceni` o 'the total in second floor, east wing operating fund revenue of undertaken by the board $4,092,571. The actual per diem rate for in-patient ward care for the year was $124.71. The final . ap- proved rate for the fifteen months ended March 31,1978 was $109.55. Mrs. Berry explained that in order to wipe out the deficit incurred last year, the Ministry of Health granted the hospital -$140,0Q0. The rest of the money carne from all the hospital's un- committed funds. She said the hospital had to forego any depreciation on equip- ment for the last year which meant there was "absolutely no money left" in the hospital's capital account to buy during the year was not as successful as originally hoped, ac- cording to Mrs. Berry. The object was to close active beds and save money through reduced nursing services. "This plan did have some success, but it was found that trying to ut all the other patienf . the two remaining wards, was causing przoblems," Mrs. Berry. "Due to mix, our germ Turn to page 6 • said patient Alvin Shoes QUEEN'S HOTEL The new laundry facility at AM&G is nearing completion. Target date for finishing is mid- July. The board learned Monday evening costs are $1,786 over the original contract price so far with some credits still to come back. Also, the board learned the doors in the new wing housing the emergency department have been causing a problem since they were installed and will have to be replaced. That will ,cost in excess of $5,000. Administrator Elmer. Taylor said the company that installed the doors went out of business shortly after the emergency department was completed, and it is• impossible to get proper repairs for the doors. • SUTTON PARK INN PIER 21 KINCARDINE'S NO. 1 NIGHTSPOT +++ THIS WEEK Presents Management consultants from Woods, Gordon are on the scene at AM&G despite earlier reports that the firm's confidentiality was in question. Administrator Elmer Taylor said this concern was alleviated and the Woods,Gordon people have been retained. He said they have already identified some potential areas where savings can be realized. Th,riee board members are to serve on a sfee-iiLLing committee in co-operation with the Woods,Gordon plan of action. They are Dr. Ken Lambert (or his alternate) ; Chairman Jim McCaul; and Bill Alcock (or his alternate Gerry Zurbrigg). Gordon Crabb also volunteered his time. A schedule of probable meeting times will be requested to make it easier for board members who are working to arrange their timetables. Minutes are to be distributed to all board SKYE BLUE. Cover Charge - Fri. & Sat. nights NEXT WEEK This is a band you won't want to miss! JIM- MY'S a former member of the FABULOUS PLATTERS and keeps the memory alive through his performance of such greats as 'Only You' & 'The Great Pretender!' You and your family are-invited- to '/z PRICE ON SELECTED SPORTSWEAR GROUPINGS and PORTS JEANS 25°'° OFF ALL OTHER SUMMER STOCK INCLUDING: DRESSES BLOUSES & T-SHIRTS PANTS BLAZERS SWIMWEAR SHORTS (HARGEX MOM villl>:i. No Exrhnnge or Refund nn ,-nle Merrhnndise Auburn's. ''� 125th June 29, 30 July 1, 2 the cloaes close` Come 8 help us. ,r ,f celebrate. Cover Charge Wed., Thurs., Fri., Sat. Proper dress please. We are accepting Age of Majority Card a% only proof of age. SUTTON PARK INN Hwy Nn 21 N Kincardine Ph. 3®6.3444 36 North St, Shoppers Square Goderich 524-8572 OPEN ALL DAY WEDNESDAYS