MANITOULIN—The Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC) board has agreed to move ahead with a major purchase for its cardiac telemetry equipment (heart monitoring equipment), with fundraising required as well, to offset the costs.
Derek Graham, chief executive officer (CEO) of the MHC, told the Recorder after a meeting last Thursday, “the board approved a motion to move forward on a major purchase for cardiac telemetry equipment (heart monitoring equipment), with the expectation that fundraising will be required to offset the costs.”
Mr. Graham noted the cost of the equipment to be in place at both hospital sites (Mindemoya and Little Current) is $463,000.
“The equipment will serve the emergency departments at both sites and in-patient wards including cardiac remote monitoring equipment,” said Mr. Graham. He explained, when a patient is in the hospital for heart issues, sensory devices are place on their chest, and it provides signals to a central monitoring station-providing vital cardiac information.
“We will also be buying some defibrillators, to update this equipment, for both sites,” said Mr. Graham. He explained there had been a previous announcement that the hospital auxiliary was supporting this fundraising campaign and there has been some initial funding provided for it. An initial $50,000 was gifted to the MHC by the Mindemoya Hospital Auxiliary. And there has been some other donations made to the campaign. “Over $100,000 has been raised thus far.”
“MHC will be looking to raise funds for this campaign,” said Mr. Graham. “With the need for this equipment and timing the board decided that we will cost flow this ahead of time and recover the costs-monies as we go along.” The MHC is also using some of its reserves for the purchase.
“We are part of a group of provincial hospitals moving together to get a group price on this equipment, so the equipment is being purchased by seven hospitals which helped to leverage an excellent price,” said Mr. Graham. “There will be more coming on the fundraising front, the board is committed to fundraising for this equipment as well.”
