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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-04-18, Page 2Page 2—Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, April 18,- 1979 _Propose wholistic health care..... • from page 1 ministry wants it to be since 14 beds were to cldse lit' April 1. While the board looks into the•funding method, the ministry nuTit also clarify whether Wingham can remain a 100 bed hospital in the meantime and would receive funding on that basis. The board has not closed the 14 beds, designated surplus by the ministry on April 1 and refuses to do so while they eonsider wholistic care. Dr. John Bradley who attended the meeting in Toronto told the board whOlistic care will not aiange the practice Of medic- ine at Wingham Hospital. It is a differente in funding. He said if the hospital goes in under the program, the staff at Wingham had better make sure every service that could have been done in Wingham is done here. If a patient is sent to London for a • service that they decide could have been done in Wingham, London will take the money to pay for it from Wingham's budget.• He told the board the delegation does ' not know what the ministry means by HSO • or wholistic care. He suggested that it is possible WinghaM ,would have to pay for services administeredto the patients within their program at another hospital. He cited the example that someone who lives within the Wingham hospital's district is in a car accident in Sudbury and is hospitalized there for a:Month. The fact that the patient is unable to get to Wingham hospital for treatment is irrelevant. The money to, pay for the patient's treatment in the Sudbury hospital be taxen from Wingham's; budget, not the Sudbury hospital. . The board fears closing 14 active treatment beds and converting them to chronic, beds because it would result in a "bottle -neck situation". The ministry proposed the board work out the figures to support their need,for more chronic beds • and officials would come to Wingham within two weeks to designate -14 More chronic beds and cicise 14 active heds. The health minister told the Wingham- • delegation as. long as the beds were • , classified as chronic on paper it did. not matter how the hospital used them. Hayes said Timbrell is willingto accept beds will fluctuate and when needed the hospital will , encroach upon chronic beds for active usg,N; "Bed counts must swing up and down," said Timbre' according to Hayes. The problem with transferring the 14 beds to chronic use is that they will fill rapidly and since the nature of a chronic • "bo is for extended care, the beds would not be available for active treatment usage. The board fear's referrals would be made to Wingham from areas where there • is riot adequate nursing home beds and the &hronic beds, in Wingham would remain full. Next year when another 13 beds are to •be closed in Wingham to adhere to ministry guidelines, the hospital would be 50 per cent chronic and in reality would be •a nursing honie facility. ' The board does not feel the hospital can IL • from page 1 • Mr. Campbell's •father said it was gratifying to know that Bob was extremely happy during his stay with the Ringdahl family in Florida, Mrs. Mary Ringdahl (nee • Campbell), Don's aunt, and her son, Bobby, his wife, Pat and their sor., Walter. • Their comfort during this tragic period was of great assistance to the family.. Mr. Campbell's body was cremated at Heath Crematory, Lakeland, Florida on Thursday, April 12, 1974. maintain its high level of health care without the 14 active beds and transferring them to chronic beds would not be a solution. The board decided not to follow this proposal because when they originally decided not to close 14 beds on April 1 they also refused to change the 14 beds to chronic care beds. "We're fighting a delayed action," said Don Kennedy. "If we transfer the beds to chronic care now, we will have to do the same with the 13 we are supposed to close next September." DEFINE CHRONIC CARE. Dr. Doug Mowbray said the ministry would have to clarify their interpretation of chronic care. It could be that patients who enter the hospital for acute treatment but have ailments which would qualify them as chronic, would be placed in chronic care beds instead of active treatment beds, to satisfy the need for more chronic heeds. A patient in a chronic care bed now has to pay a user's fee and is not .eligible for semi -private benefits. Should the acute ailment require that the patient be placed in • intensive care, if the patient is designated chronic, he would have to pay for the Use of the intensive care bed. OHIP does not pay the fee for intensive care for a chronic patient. • • Some board members doubted the sinaereity of the ministry officials. John , Mann said a colleague of Murray Gaunt; MPP who attended a meeting between a delegation from Meaford and the health miniSter;. was tOld they could be a pilot project for a wholistic Care program. Mr. Mann told the board he had the idea every delegation was getting the same proposal. • Dr. Bradley told the ',dard perhaps the ministry is offering HSO "because they know we have them over a legal barrel." "Maybe they're -hoping we'll persue • HSO and back off," added Dr, Mowbray. Board member 'Mary Vair who attended the Toronto meeting said Timbrell was not • impressed 'With the delegation's concern that VViiigham is in a special situation. She said he was also not impressed that the _ hospital has been under budget. She said She, felt Timbrell wanted the board to go home and make up the figures to justify more chronic careobeds..... "He wanted off the hook,'' said Ms. Bair; "andhe Wanted us to do the homework to get him off the hook." Dr. Bradley pointed out Timbrell wanted a very lowr key meeting because there was a member of the opposition in attendance, namely Huron Bruce Liberal, Murray Gaunt, MPP for the Winghain c�nstitu •ericy. ••• Executive director Hayes observed that • on the surface the *holistic care project • looks great but there's got to be a "minuse in the house somewhere". Hayes Mid the • board, that given the time, he would find out the true nature of the funding the ministry is proposing under wholistic care. l • elands safe • Brock and Mary Cleland, formerly of Lucknow, are reported safe. on St. Vincent . Island, where a volcano has been erupting - •for :the past several days. The area near the base of themountain has been evacuated. Brock and Mari, live on the other side of .the island and have not been forced to leave their home. Brock has been assisting with the evacuation. The Clelands have been living on the Caribbean island for the past year where Brock is practising veterinarian medicine, The Cleland's daughter-in-law, Margaret, told the Sentinel Tuesday, the family heard from. Brock and Mary by telephone on Sundiy. The family attempted to phone Si. Vincent yesterday, but they were unable to get through. 'kr Connie Husk, Kinloss, works Intend}, "sculpting" in piasticine at culpter the kindergarten registrationat Lucknow Central Public Schoollast Thursday The children, were 111'0110 to feel At. hoop and play with the toys while their mothers talked With Idndergartin teacher Nancy MacIntyre. , •[Sentinel Staff Photo] FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, ASK YOUR HEART FOUNDATION. That's What You Will Get When You Buy a Used Car Or Truck From MONTGOMERY 1110700 \ AsIc James About These Used Vehicles. - 1978 LTD LANDAU, 2 dr. • 1977 LTD, 4 dr. 1977 CHEV NOVA, 2 dr. 1977 PONTIAC LAURENTIAN stationwagon 1976 MERCURY MARQUIS 1975. 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