Changes and challenges facing small rural hospitals are the focus of a report from the CEO at the South Bruce Grey Health Centre.
A report shows in-patient occupancy at its four hospitals is down 48.5 per cent.
But Paul Davies says Emergency Department visits are increasing because of a shortage of family physicians to help patients with non-urgent needs.
At last night’s annual general meeting — the Health Centre reported a surplus of over 197 thousand dollars for the year ending March 31st, 2009.
That is down from over 343 thousand in 2008.
Davies says the aging population places extra pressures on hospitals.
He says reducing programs and services is not the solution, and hospital closures are not politically viable.
Davies says the possible solution is to consolidate programs and services at various locations and create “Centres of Excellence” where they are provided.
He highlights the new emphasis on home-based care for patients recovering from surgery or home hospice care.
He says reductions on in-patient stays and the almost non-existent presence of in-patient surgery is making it impractical to keep staff.
The number of in-patient days at the four sites in 2008-2009 is 144, compared to 157 in the previous year.
In contrast, outpatient surgeries are up at 1477, compared to 1377 in 2007-2008.
Davies says with declining patient stays and inpatient surgeries, and no additional revenue from the province, changes to how services are provided will be necessary in order to remain viable.
He says when changes are made in health care, people often assume that means cuts — and that is not the case.
He says the South Bruce Grey Health Centre is no different than any other small hospital corporation in the province, and the Minister of Health is trying to meet the challenges by creating a small, rural, and northern hospital panel.
Accomplishments at the four hospital sites over the past year include new digital mammography equipment in Kincardine and Walkerton, a business case for redevelopment in Kincardine, a solar water heating system in Durham, and upgrades to the medical gas system in Chesley.