President’s report
President and CEO Lynn Foster noted in her report that Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC) is the first hospital in the Northeast to be considered a rapid access centre—a place that offers fast treatment with a certain focus—for both the North East Joint Assessment Centre (NEJAC) and the Inter-professional Spine Assessment and Education Clinics (ISAEC).
The report also notes the beginning stages of a feasibility study to examine if there may be a business case for a computed tomography (CT) scanner on Manitoulin Island.
Dave Sylvester of MHC’s Little Current auxiliary asked if there was any further news on the proposed dissolution of the LHINs. Ms. Foster said there had been no official releases yet.
VP clinical services/CNO’s report
Chief Nursing Officer Mariana Markovic told the board that the paramedicine program is accepting referrals. It is offered by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) paramedics through MHC and the Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board (DSB). Services are available Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4 pm and they include physical assessments, mobility, medication compliance and a home safety scan, among other offerings. It will also assist COPD patients using telehomecare remote monitoring systems.
VP corporate support services/CFO report
Chief Financial Officer Tim Vine said the hospital is within the suggested parameters on its ratio and current margin. Investment returns since it joined a fund have returned 8.26 percent.
MHC’s membership in a shared services working group has earned the hospital a net savings of $52,000, which equates to a 3.8 percent return on investment and per-bed savings of $1,646.
Chief of staff report
Dr. Stephen Cooper was not present for the meeting, but his report states there is ongoing work on the Patient Oriented Discharge Summary (PODS). PODS is a means of providing enhanced information to patients upon being discharged. The goal is to incorporate this into MHC’s existing electronic record system and it will allow the various departments to contribute components to build a discharge care plan. The hope is for this program to be in operation by next spring.
The hospital’s new ISAEC program is now accepting referrals. Part of the roll-out of this program has been teaching staff how to appropriately utilize its resources in an attempt to decrease inappropriate imaging like MRIs, x-rays and other techniques that are not particularly helpful with these conditions, are expensive and could lead to unnecessary intervention.
Dr. Cooper also noted that his five-year term on the Ontario Medical Association/Ontario Hospital Association’s Physician Hospital Issues Committee is now finished. Board members expressed sentiments that it has been advantageous to have an MHC member on the committee.
MHC Auxiliary report
Mr. Sylvester acknowledged the recent loss of auxiliary member Doris Schwar, who was also married to board member Don Brisebois.
This year’s no-bake bake sale raised $1,650, which is roughly three times more than the average amount at former bake sales.
The auxiliary donated $21,100 towards the hospital’s equipment wish list. The items to be bought are a vital sign machine worth $3,600, an IV pump worth $1,200 and a non stress test machine worth $16,300.
Donation
Ms. Foster acknowledged an anonymous donation of $100,000 to be used at the Mindemoya site. MHC is still evaluating an expansion of the Mindemoya emergency department (ED), since it is just over half the size of the ED in Little Current.
If the project is partly funded by the government, it may take six to eight years until its completion. This is longer than the office term of the provincial government which raises questions about the reliability of funding should the government or its policies be changed.
