Ministry Money Won’t Balance Budget

Hip and Knee replacement surgeries and cataract surgeries will continue at the Middlesex Hospital Alliance (MHA) through 2008/09. According to a recent Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) announcement, $1,701,600 will be provided to Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital (SMGH) this year through the Wait Time Strategy (WTS) funding.

MHA's share of the WTS funding will cover 220 joints and 144 cataract surgeries. The announcement also provides $41,300 for 165 hours of additional service for the MHA's new CT scanner. "This is excellent news for these clinical services," Nancy Maltby-Webster, COO at MHA, says, "We have achieved high quality outcomes for the orthopaedic and cataract surgeries, and now we have extended onsite CT scan capabilities."

The CT scanner, which is owned jointly by Four Counties Health Services (FCHS) and SMGH, has been operational since May 5, 2007. Approximately 3,700 patients have had CT scans in that time. The opening of this diagnostic capacity in the MHA has resulted in shorter lengths of stay for inpatients and provided much needed access to CT technology on an outpatient basis for people living in the surrounding area. The number of patients having CT scans for this coming year is expected to reach between 4,200 and 4,500.

In the last fiscal year, 2007/08, SMGH completed 251 Total Joint Replacements (TJR), which includes hips and knees. The Strathroy site of the MHA is unique in the province as it is the only "greenfield" site for TJR. This means the total replacement of joints was an entirely new component to SMGH orthopaedic program, as prior to participating in the TJR program through the Wait Time Strategy, SMGH did not perform TJRs.

Despite being new, MHA's Hips & Knees program component has received some well-earned praise. "Our wait times are significantly below the Ministry target and the provincial average," Nancy Maltby-Webster, COO at MHA, says. The success of MHA's team approach is seen in the excellent wait times but also in the reported satisfaction from patients. More than 90 per cent of patients surveyed last year reported an "excellent" experience, Maltby-Webster says.

"The wait time strategy funding is welcome news for the continuation of these affected programs," Mike Mazza, CEO of the MHA says, "However, it has no impact on the $2.2 million projected operating deficit the hospital is facing because of a base funding allocation of 2.4%."

According to Yvonne Lambert, Chair of the MHA board, "the Strathroy site of the MHA continues to face real inflationary pressures and is working with the South West Local Health Integration Network to find ways to address the anticipated $2.2 million shortfall resulting from the legal requirement for the Hospital to balance its budget in the next two fiscal years. We welcome the announcement by our local MPP, Maria Van Bommel, Lambton-Kent-Middlesex of funding to assist with the wait time strategies and look forward to continued support." Lambert emphasized that "throughout our discussions, the Board's message will continue to be the importance of maintaining essential health care services locally in our community."

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Ministry Money Won’t Balance Budget