Communities like Minto and Blacks Harbour will be feeling the impact of more than 60 job changes at the Horizon Health Network.
The cost-saving initiatives includes moving lab testing from some health centres to the nearest regional hospital and scheduling surgery time more effectively between Christmas and March.
CEO Don Peters says every impacted employee can be re-deployed through the Horizon Health Network.
The Vice-President of Clinical Services Nancy Savage says at the Regional hospital cuts were avoided at the transitional care unit by not filling positions.
Savage tells they were able to hold onto several vacancies which accomodated the new staffing model.
CEO Don Peters adds they are not immune from the impact of the growing provincial deficit especially since hey are the biggest part of the government budget.
They expect these initiatives will save 4.2 million dollars.
INITIATIVE: Transitional Care Units for Patients
The reassignment of Alternative Level of Care patients, those
patients who are waiting for an alternate setting of care such as a nursing
home, to designated units, as well as a newly designed care model to ensure the
specialized care needs of these patients are met.
INITIATIVE: Laboratory
Services
Since the amalgamation of
the four Regional Health Authorities in 2008, Horizon has been operating 12
laboratories throughout the region. The 12 laboratories are situated in most
hospitals within Horizon and the Tobique Valley Community Health Centre in
Plaster Rock and Queens North Community Health Centre in Minto. The two
Community Health Centre laboratories have very little volume and are expensive
to operate.
As a result, the Tobique
Valley and Queens North Community Health Centres will continue to hold public
blood collection clinics and to collect laboratory specimens, however testing of
all specimens will now be completed at the nearest regional hospital.
This is a change to
internal processes and will not affect services to patients or their healthcare.
These changes will not affect the hours of operation of the public blood
collection clinics or specimen drop off or the waiting time for blood
results.
In addition, over the
past six months all testing for specialized tests such as Allergies, Vitamin D
and Hemochromotosis, an iron
metabolism disorder have been centralized. This change has resulted in more
efficient use of human and fiscal resources with no impact to patient
care.
INITIATIVE: Community Health
Centres (CHCs)– Change in Hours of Operation
Horizon had conducted a
review earlier this year of all community health centres. This review was done
to evaluate costs while continuing to ensure appropriate and affordable primary
health care access. It was determined that some CHCs had a low volume of
visitors at night and on weekends, and efficiencies would be found by
standardizing hours of operation. Visits to these centres were as low as one to
two visits during evening and overnight hours.
As a result of this
review, the hours of operation will be changing as of November 21st
at Tobique Valley Community Health Centre, McAdam Health Centre, Harvey Health
Centre, and Fundy Health Centre.
Tobique Valley Community
Health Centre, McAdam Community
Health Centre, and Harvey Community Health Centre, will transition from 24/7 to
a 12 hour community health centre. The new hours of operation will be Monday to
Friday from 8 am to 8 pm. They will be closed on weekends. The walk-in clinic
service at Tobique Valley Health Centre (Plaster Rock) will remain available
during operational hours once the changes have been implemented.
Fundy Community Health
Centre will continue to offer services Monday to Friday from 8 am to 8 pm, but
will reduce its hours on Saturday and Sunday to 8 am to 4 pm.
INITIATIVE: Queens North Community
Health Centre Inpatient Beds
Queens North Community Health Centre (Minto) will not re-open their
palliative care beds. The community will continue to access palliative care
services at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, Oromocto Public Hospital and the Extra Mural Program.
INITIATIVE: Paid Parking at
the Miramichi
Regional Hospital
Paid parking for both
public and staff at the Miramichi Regional Hospital will be implemented in the spring
of 2012. The Miramichi Regional Hospital is the only regional hospital in
Horizon without paid parking. All funds generated from this initiative will be
reinvested back into the Miramichi Regional Hospital and its property.
Revenue will provide
financial support to current and special patient care programs as well as the
purchase of medical equipment. It will also be used for the maintenance and
upgrading of the Hospital’s parking areas, which are 15 years old and require an
expansion to meet the increased demand for public and staff parking.
INITIATIVE: Food
Services Operational Review
Horizon Health Network is conducting
a Food Services Operational Review in order to determine areas in which it may
increase efficiencies and regionalize best practices.
The review is expected to be
completed this year at which time evaluation will take place and recommendations
will be considered.
INITIATIVE: Effective
scheduling of surgical time between Christmas and
March
In collaboration with the
surgery programs Horizon will work with staff to enable the most efficient and
effective scheduling during Christmas and March break periods. Savings from this
initiative will help to ensure service delivery can be maintained throughout the
remainder of the year. Emergency surgery services will be maintained.
