Abouts Us
Board Meeting Highlights
Board Highlights
May 26, 2009
At last night’s meeting of the Tri-Board of St. Joseph’s, Public General and Sydenham District Hospitals, Directors:
- Heard an overview on the Use of Supervisors in Ontario Hospitals, as part of Directors’ monthly education sessions.
- Discussed the year-end financial shortfall. The fiscal year ended with a bottom line deficit of $3,442,999. Directors anticipated that efficiency strategies prescribed by the Deloitte operational review will largely be exhausted and that pressures will escalate into 2010/1, requiring additional strategies to address bottom line performance. Activities like zero-based budgeting, changes to hospital-based services, staff/staffing mix models and perhaps clinical service consolidations might need to be considered in concert with the upcoming HAPS/HSAA negotiations with the Erie St. Clair LHIN.
- Received a report from its Mission & Quality Committee including attention to improvements in the communities’ emergency departments in both Chatham and Wallaceburg. These include new progressive Medical Directives allowing treatment interventions by nursing staff, along with Lean Six Sigma initiatives focused on quality, safety and efficiency.
- Noted that work on the !magine project continues in order to develop a submission to the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care for the long term redevelopment of both Sydenham and Chatham campuses’ aged facilities.
- Heard that due to the world-wide shortage of medical isotopes, patients at CKHA are being prioritized based upon most urgent need and other diagnostic interventions offered. Alternative supply is being sought while the Chalk River facility is out of production.
- Congratulated staff, physicians and volunteers on their continued hand hygiene vigilance.
- Noted the ESC LHIN’s initiation of public education articles. To date, three articles have been posted on the LHIN’s website on the topics of health human resources, emergency medical services, and primary health care. www.eriestclairlhin.on.ca (click on Reports and Publications, then Education Series)
- Heard that 22, 90-minute internal consultations with staff, physicians and volunteers have been completed to gather input regarding the small hospital emergency department study. Themes have been summarized for Tri-Board committees and will comprise part of CKHA’s response to the ESC LHIN in June.
- Congratulated Anne Brooks of the Sydenham District Hospital Auxiliary on her election as Chair of Region 1 of the Hospital Auxiliaries Association of Ontario. HAAO, with over 30,000 volunteer members, represents over 160 auxiliaries/associations across Ontario. Anne will be responsible for co-ordinating activities of the 17 associations throughout Region 1.
- Acknowledged CKHA’s nurses during National Nursing Week, and its volunteers during National Volunteer Week – both in May.
- Heard that the Foundation of CKHA will host its Annual General Meeting and Donor Appreciation event on June 18th in Café Grand.
The next regularly scheduled Tri-Board meeting is June 23, 2009 beginning at 6:30 pm in the Wallaceburg Municipal Building. Staff and public are welcomed - kindly RSVP 519-437-6001.
‘Board Highlights’ is published by the Communications & Community Relations Department for the information of staff, media and community and is posted on the Alliance’s website, www.ckha.on.ca