The Rural Voice, 1996-11, Page 26proximity to the Bruce Nuclear plant.
Media and concerned citizens have
suggested the Grey -Bruce Health
Centre in Owen Sound will not allow
a patient out of an ambulance if there
is the possibility of radiation
contamination. However, that is
precisely the type of input the DHC
steering committee was looking for,
says Bantock.
"We wanted to determine what
needs are most required in each
community."
There was no recommendation to
remove that facility from Kincardine
or the hyperbaric chamber in
Tobermory (which 's essential for
assisting divers in trouble).
The committee is trying to
determine specific needs for each
area. If the community is generally a
retirement centre, there may be little
need for obstetric services. However,
monies could be used for services
geared more to an aging population.
Similar consideration would be given
to communities with many young
families or specific environmental
needs. In all cases, required services
would be within a 30 minute drive,
said Bantock.
For Farrell, that explanation is not
good enough. "Retaining special
services won't replace a full service
hospital. There will be an increased
cost, both financially and in stress,
for residents required to travel greater
distances to visits family members in
hospital."
"It should be Left to the individual
community to decide if they can
afford and accept changes to their
hospital. It should not be imposed by
an outside source. The communities
have built the hospital, they should
make the decision."
Grey -Bruce steering committee,
which has just completed the round
of public meetings, will put together
a report for the DHC, with approved
recommendations sent to the
Ministry of Health for consideration.
The Huron -Perth DHC's Hospital
and Related Health Services Study
Task Force is presently through the
second phase of a similar
restructuring process, having
gathered data from surveys.
"We are trying to figure out how to
restructure while ensuring patients
continue to receive the care
22 THE RURAL VOICE
required," said Fraser Bell, Huron -
Perth DHC.
The task force, consisting of 19
members including eight with
hospital backgrounds, two from the
DHC, four consumers and the rest
from various health care and social
services fields, will move into the
public consultation phase in early
December.
This portion of the study is very
important, said Bell, as the public
needs to have sense of the challenges
which are faced by the health care
industry.
The Huron -Perth committee is
using an information -gathering
method unique in Ontario. There
will be a telephone survey, hopefully
to get input from people who may
not attend public sessions, said Bell.
Ten small focus groups will also
meet to discuss the options.
Huron -Perth has had some
success in developing a
rationalized hospital system,
providing support needed, offering a
good referral network and keeping
hospital dollars in direct services
instead of on fixed costs and
administration, he said.
The district has shared services for
many years in the areas of group
purchases, laboratory work, library
and laundry services and home care
programs, to name a few.
As both the chief executive officer
of Seaforth Community Hospital and
member of the restructuring
committee, Bill Thibert understands
the difficult times ahead for small
facilities.
"With the talk of 18 per cent over
three years, we were to get five per
cent in the first, but only saw 2.5 per
cent," he said. "However, we
recognize the need for small hospitals
to know more cuts are coming. Even
though we have been sharing services
and streamlining, there is more to do.
"We must try to be as efficient as
possible within ourselves, but realize
a small, rural hospital can only go so
far. If a large facility cuts 10 people
from its 100 -person mainten-
ance/administrative staff, that is a lot,
but when a small hospital has only
five or six staff, there is not a lot of
cutting which can be done."
The budget cuts, cost streamlining
and reinvestment into other health
areas are much discusseed and
apparently inevitable, but one health
care worker interviewed wondered
whether consideration has been given
to the fact that approximately one-
third of the province's hospitals, 75
in total, each 100 beds or less and
mainly in rural areas, account for
only seven percent of the
government's health care budget?
Another asked if the reinvestment
of monies from hospital budgets will
improve health care in the
community from which it was taken.
The only way to ensure rural health
care is maintained, providing equal
service to those living in areas of
1,000 or 100,000 population, is
community involvement in the
restructuring process. DHCs, steering
committees and local provincial
politicians welcome input for
residents and constituents.
If farmers and their urban
neighbours want to help shape a
better health system, not a
diminished one, they must be willing
to make their voices heard. 0
Note: Just prior to press time,
representatives from Chesley,
Walkerton, Durham and Kincardine
hospitals announced an
amalgamation. The proposal would
allow all facilities to stay open, in
some form, offering a minimum of
eight hours per day emergency room
care, 10 beds, day surgery, day
clinics and basic diagnostic services.
The amalgamation, which will have
one CEO, director of patient care,
director of medical services, chief of
staff, board of directors and business
administrator, could be in place by
April 1, 1997, subject to ministry
approval.
Though details of the
amalgamation have not yet been
worked out, it is expected the savings
will amount to 18 per cent or $2.6
million, through service sharing.
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