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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-01-04, Page 11Wednesday, January 4, 2006 Exeter Times—Advocate 11 Members share their forecasts for 2006 The Exeter Times Advocate surveyed prominent members in our community asking for their forecast of 2006. Will it be a year of development, change and challenges or will it be a year of cutbacks, hard decisions and hard work? DEBRA HUNT ORGANIZA- TION: Debra Hunt, Chief executive offi- cer, South Huron Hospital GLENN BARTLETT Glenn Bartlett, Chairperson, South Huron Hospital board of directors 2006 WILL BE A YEAR OF: Positive changes for patients and community WHY? South Huron Hospital will be focusing on capital investments for patient equip- ment and reno- vations to the emergency department to ensure that the hospital has the capacity to offer identified ser- vices to the pop- ulation we serve. The Ministry of Health and Long -Term Care transformation agenda focuses on patient access to care and provision of primary care and South Huron Hospital is anticipating working closely with the newly ORGANIZATION: David Bannister Board chair, Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre 2006 WILL BE A YEAR. OF: con- tinuing challenges for health care providers in our area. The year 2005 has been a very challenging one regarding health care for this area's residents. In particular, some of the issues we have faced at Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre include: • An accumulated deficit that was partially funded by the CHC Branch, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care earlier this year. • Increased operating costs for our new facility which are not yet funded by the ministry. • The need to relocate a nurse practitioner and medical office assistant from the Zurich Medical Clinic due to long-term underfunding. • The loss of physicians in sur- rounding communities, placing additional demands for service on our staff at all levels. • The departure of our executive director in July 2005. These issues have challenged the centre's staff and board to maintain service levels while at the same time, look for ways to reduce oper- ating costs. Progress has already been made on some of the issues noted above. We are pleased to note the efforts made hi Zurich to secure the ser- vices of a physician, and with increased funding by the province, have now seen the relocation of the nurse practitioner back to Zurich, along with the medical office assis- tant. At the completion of a thorough search process, our new executive director, Jane Falconer started in her position at the CHC in December. In many respects, Grand Bend's health centre and the surrounding communities are fortunate in com- parison to other centres in Ontario. We have a wonderful new facility that is already seeing maximum utilization. The CHC is operating efficiently, and has developed pro- grams that are being adopted by other health centres in Ontario. The Community Health Centre's interdisciplinary approach to primary care and wellness programs is favoured by many health care professionals. We are able to attract as many physicians as we have funding for, and more if the funding was available. The CHC is a model that appears to be gaining approval across the STER province. This past fall, Health Minister George Smitherman announced 22 new CHCs across Ontario, plus 17 new satellite offices and increased fund- ing allocations for other CHCs. We hope ours will be among the latter, as we continue to face ongoing funding shortfalls. It is all too easy in looking at the challenges we face to overlook the tremendous strides we have made in health care services for this com- munity. At the same time, I under- stand it is difficult to appreciate these improvements if you are unable to find a family doctor, as is increasingly the case in many under -serviced areas. I can only say that we as an orga- nization are making every possible effort to continually improve our service offering and find the needed extra funding for expansion of existing services. DAV I D BANNI ORGANIZATION: Rob Morley - Mayor / South Huron 2006 WILL BE A YEAR OF: Continuing costs WHY? High energy costs, more downloading, decisions made at a higher level that have a dramatic effect at a lower level. Keeping our own costs in line are a battle, but having high costs legislated down from above with no betterment to the people who pay the bills, really makes it hard to justify some increases. THE COMING YEAR'S CHALLENGES AND HOW TO MEET THEM?: Hopefully 2006 will be the year the COMRIF will come through with funding for sew- ers for Crediton and Centralia. there is a an issue our there that needs to be fixed. With any luck the east side of Exeter will have extra protection from the 6" and 7" rains that are becoming all too regular. Lets hope that the agricultural climate will turn around and get farmers back making and spending money. Farmers drive the rural economy, and right now it needs help. ROB MORLEY formed Local Health Integrated Network for South Western Ontario. The goal is to increase access for care and integration ser- vices for patients/fami- lies. THE COMING YEAR'S CHAL- LENGES AND HOW TO MEET THEM?: The challenges will be to involve our communities to fundraise the dollars required to enable the hospital to pur- chase the major equipment (electronic x-ray images). Physician reten- tion and recruit- ment continues to be a major challenge for South Huron Hospital and we encourage com- munity involve- ment to assist. We have dedi- cated physicians in an era of physician short- age, who con- tinue to provide excellence in care. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: South Huron Hospital has been strongly supported by the communi- ties and we wish to extend our apprecia- tion for this sup- port and look forward to working with you in 2006. To each of you and your family, have a safe, peaceful season and a healthy 2006. 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