CEO report
Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC) CEO Derek Graham presented his October report to the board at its last meeting held recently at the Little Current Hospital.
Mr. Graham reported that there was a surplus due to the success of the Sweet Slumbers campaign. The additional funds will be used to purchase related patient care equipment.
“MHC is moving forward with a detailed analysis in partnership with Health Sciences North to create an implementation plan for diagnostic imaging voice recognition dictation of results from radiologists,” Mr. Graham’s report noted. “The technology will create automated digital reports, decreasing the turn-around time from when images are generated at the MHC to the release of reports to clinicians by radiologists, thus enhancing patient care. MHC is moving forward with enhanced patient engagement. Two patient advocates have been selected to sit as advisors on targeted initiatives, including quality planning.”
“The local community-sited methadone delivery programs are under pressure, as a result of service changes that have occurred following reductions in the OHIP fee schedule (which pay for certain processes on a fee-for-service basis),” continued Mr. Graham. “MHC is engaging with local care organizations, health planners from both the Northeast Local Health Integration Network (NE LHIN) and the Ministry of Health and Long-term care (MHLTC), as well as other stakeholders to attempt to create a more stable local delivery plan.”
Mr. Graham told the board that this year’s Hospital Accountability Planning Submission (HAPS) will be based on a new format.
“The NE LHIN has released the new templates that will guide the process for hospitals, with a very short turn-around time for this to be accomplished,” explained Mr. Graham. “As a result of the changes, all hospitals must submit a high-level balanced budget plan earlier than in previous years. Within the plan, hospitals are required to list what possible operational adjustments will possibly be needed to reach a balanced operating position. Any identified operating changes must have an accompanying disclosure of service impacts. A refresh on the planning assumptions is scheduled to take place sometime in January 2016. MHC has expressed concerns with the timelines and planning tactics being enacted through this LHIN process.”
He said that the initial meeting of the Ontario Health Association Special Committee for Budget Advocacy had been held. The committee explored current issues such as fiscal, political and operational for health care providers. He added that, moving forward, a list of priority items for advocacy will be generated.
“MHC staff and clinicians were recently identified as being on the leading edge of implementation maturity for standardized order sets, when compared to peer hospitals across the NE LHIN,” concluded Mr. Graham’s report. “Congratulations to everyone for the solid efforts associated with this important quality tool.”
Chief Nursing
Officer report
Chief Nursing Officer Pat Morka led her report by providing an update to the board on the Senior Friendly Cohort Team. She said that the team will be engaging physicians and staff in next steps through presentations and discussion.
“On November 10, the Canadian Foundation for Health Improvement released a baseline study of family presence and visiting hour policies at hospitals across Canada,” said Mr. Morka. “As a result health care organizations are being encouraged to review their visiting and family presence policies.”
Ms. Morka said that the hand hygiene rates continue to be monitored, checked and reported weekly and she continues to see improvement in this indicator which is remaining between 90 and 100 percent at both sites.
“The new gildoscopes have arrived and are in service,” continued Ms. Morka. The gildoscope is a device to expedite placing a tube into a patient’s airway when they are in a life threatening situation and is especially helpful with patients where there is difficultly performing the procedure due to anatomical reasons.”
Ms. Morka told the board that the diabetes program provided diabetes education and screening services in conjunction with visiting CNIB Eye Van over a three-da period October and November. In total 229 individuals were screened for diabetes in four communities including Little Current, Mindemoya, Gore Bay and Wikwemikong.
She said that work continues with the MHC and their partners at the Family Health Teams to address areas and or gaps in patient discharges, readmissions and the phone follow-up initiative.
“We are continuing to foster champions in varied clinical areas,” said Mr. Morka. “Recently we had two staff champions train for proficiency in central line care so they are able to offer their knowledge and expertise to other staff members in a train the trainer modality. The manager and staff have made an excellent video for training purposes as well.”
Ms. Morka ended her report, noting that the MHC continues to have requests from educational institutions to place students at the MHC and receives positive feedback from past students.
CFO report
Lynn Foster, MHC CFO, reported that the architect has begun work on the detailed plans and specifications for the Emergency Department redesign at the Little Current site.
“The double televisions have been mounted in public waiting areas and content development continues,” said Mr. Foster. “A number of good suggestions have come forward from the admitting team and will be implemented shortly. Also, starting in January, food services will be implementing a monthly patient education program related to healthy lifestyle that aligns with MOHLTC awareness months. These include heart health, nutrition, dental health, food allergies, stroke awareness, men’s cancer awareness, breast cancer and diabetes.”
As for a financial update, Ms. Foster said that after seven months of operation in MHC’s 2015-2016 fiscal year, MHC has an overall surplus of $328,000, of which $243,000 relates specifically to hospital operations. “A positive variance in revenues together with a positive variance in expenses results in this favourable position for hospital operations and overall,” noted Ms. Foster. “MHC’s current ratio as of October 31 was 2.2 to 1, while the total margin was $336,000 with a ratio of plus 3.5 percent.”
She added that MHC’s investment portfolio has been managed by Beutel Goodman since January 2006.
“MHC’s assets under management at book value is $4,827,119 with a fair market value of $5,691,502,” reported Ms. Foster. “The asset mix is currently 45 percent fixed income and 55 percent equity, which is consistent with the board established investment policy of 50/50 (the target range is 45/55).”
For capital asset purchases, Ms. Foster said that to date, MHC has spent $210,000. She noted that this included $100,000 on a new roof at the Mindemoya site, funded by the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund, $62,000 on four new beds at each site, $33,000 on IV pumps, $18,000 on basement flooring at the Mindemoya site, $18,000 on an air handling unit at the Mindemoya site, $16,000 on lab equipment and $8,000 on other items including bed boards and phone system mega links. The additional items are offset by the original costs ($45,000) of equipment that has been taken out of service.
“The NE LHIN formed a shared services working group to determine a strategic direction for shared services in the northeast, to investigate existing shared service organization and determine the most appropriate choice for hospitals in the NE LHIN,” said Ms. Foster.
“On November 10, the CEO of Northwest Supply Chain along with the LHIN representative held a web information session with 22 hospitals CEOs (or designates) in attendance,” Ms. Foster continued. “The presentation included an overview of the Northwest Supply Chain (NSC), an update related to the business case development for funding from the Broader Public Sector Supply Chain Programs Branch, an outline of next steps and a closing question and answer period. The intent is to go live with NSC in April 2016.”
Chief of staff report
MHC Chief of Staff Stephen Cooper told the board that a number of medical directives including asthma management were approved at the Medical Advisory Committee.
“I am pleased to see an increased use of order sets by medical staff,” said Dr. Cooper. “Apparently MHC is a leader in the Northeast in the use of order sets.”
Dr. Cooper said that he would be attending OMA meetings over the next weekend and continuing to promote rural health care in the hospital and primary care.
He added that the Manitoulin Local Education Group (LEG) sponsored a film by Professor Hoi Cheau examining the Northern School of Medicine as a well as a presentation on managing concussion. Medical staff have been attending bimonthly HSN rounds at MHC and Ontario Renal Network were in town to answer questions about the services they provide to patients with chronic kidney disease.
Auxiliary news
Dave Sylvester reviewed the Manitoulin Health Centre Auxiliary report with the board. He noted that the auxiliary will be donating a $1,000 bursary to the annual Manitoulin Secondary School Awards Night.
The finances of the auxiliary were $9,334.59 as of October 31, while the H.E.L.P. lottery account was $673.28 and the raffle account was $195.
He added that $64 had been collected in October from the coin boxes and that the auxiliary’s Facebook page is gaining more ‘likes.’
The auxiliary passed a motion to purchase Christmas gifts for the patients. Last year $400 was spent, as well as a gift for the New Year’s baby and flowers for the mother.
Judy Mackenzie presented the Mindemoya Auxiliary minutes. She said that auxiliary member Leila Thureson attended the HAAO Convention in Toronto and learned a lot.
The auxiliary has set new goals including recruiting new members with specialized gifts, a reviewal of the bylaws, a 2016 wish list and looking at new methods of fundraising.
“We spent $56,562 on patient needs for Mindemoya Hospital last year,” added Ms. Mackenzie. “This included four beds for the Sweet Slumbers Campaign, an OBs stretcher and a vital signs monitor. We continue to provide cable TV for all rooms. This December we will again give six $500 Manitoulin Secondary School Bursaries and we have outlined our donations in a brochure we gave out where we were selling raffle tickets.”
