Changes in the operation of the North Shore Health Network in Blind River are underway said newly appointed CEO Ralph Barker. Barker officially took over the position in mid-May after serving as acting interim CAO since February 25 after the departure of former CEO Lisa High.
“Fiscal year 2018/2019 has been a year of challenge and transition for the North Shore Health Network,” Barker told about 30 people who attended the 19th Annual General Meeting (AGM) last Tuesday, June 18. “The organization was challenged with a precautionary evacuation of the hospital in late February 2019 due to roof snow load concerns, and the organization was also challenged for a substantial part of the year with ongoing operational issues and challenges culminating in the need for an independent third-party review.”
“While it is unfortunate that the precautionary evacuation needed to happen, I feel that overall the evacuation was handled very well by the organization. Given that there was technically no CEO in place when the decision to call the precautionary evacuation needed to occur, the organization responded in a very positive manner,” Barker added in his report to the AGM. “All of the necessary stakeholders, from the board and its chair, to senior management, physicians and staff came together as necessary and worked together to ensure that patient care was addressed and safety for all was a priority.”
Barker said Dr. Lorne Martin, chief of staff at Halton Healthcare, undertook a study of the concerns regarding hospital operations and presented 21 recommendations for improvements to the board.
“A working group consisting of the board chair, board vice-chair, CEO, chief of staff and chair of the Family Health Team, has been established to review the recommendations and move forward with addressing them,” Barker said.
He noted that 2019/2020 “will need to be a year of rebuilding for NSHN.”
“This will include rebuilding of operations with a service delivery focus, relationships, trust and respect,” he said.
The core elements to be addressed, according to Barker, are leadership, accountability, transparency and communication and respect and appropriate behaviours.
Barker said the year will also include strategic rebuilding for NSHN and “understanding our place and role in the evolving Ontario health care sector landscape that is entering a period of significant transformational change.”
Hospital board chair Donna Latulippe echoed some of the issues raised by Barker.
“We have all been seriously tested by the need for a third party inquiry, the evacuation at the Blind River site, by the constant need and search for doctors to fill vacancies of practices in our area and by a provincial election which has led to a change in political parties, which means a change in our health care system,” she said.
Latulippe also took the opportunity to thank local communities and councils, service clubs and citizens for their continued support of time and money for the hospital.
She noted the work done by the hospital auxiliaries and foundation in raising money to purchase digital x-ray equipment with some $210,000 raised this year.
In her report to the AGM, Chief of Staff, Dr. Lenka Snajdrova, also stated that significant changes have been brought to the attention of the board of trustees.
“As you all know, the past year has brought some significant changes as a result of problems accumulating over previous years,” she said. “The concerning trends identified in our organizations resulted in destabilization and a deviation from the guiding principles hospitals are based on; excellence in patient care, support to people that provide it within the confines of fiscal responsibility.”
Auditor Corey Houle of Freelandt Caldwell Reilly presented the audited financial statements which are also available the hospital website.
Houle said NSHN is in a strong financial state.
Revenues from operations increased some $510,000 this year, he said.
“Overall, $1,633,000 is a fairly healthy (surplus) financial statement for the hospital,” he said.