Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare board members Christine Featherstone, left, Brenda Gefucia and Evelyn Brown spoke in favour of a single-hospital model for Muskoka’s long-term future, as did other board members, at a board meeting on May 27. The board unanimously approved the decision. – Alison Brownlee
About 50 people from across the region attended the Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare board meeting on May 27 where board members opted to plan for a single-hospital future for the region. The audience, there as observers, remained silent when the decision was made. – Alison Brownlee
MUSKOKA – The room was quite enough to hear a pin drop.
“This is a historic night for us here in Muskoka,” said Evelyn Brown, vice-chair for Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare, on May 27.
The board unanimously decided that night that the long-term future of the region would include one centralized hospital instead of the two it now offers. The plan could take 15 years to finalize and both the Huntsville and Bracebridge hospitals would continue to serve the community at least until that time.
It has yet to be determined where the centralized hospital will be located.
“But the one comment that struck me most was the one that asked, ‘Does the board have the guts to make the right decision.'”
Board member Cameron Renwick
About 50 people, including politicians, media and residents, attended the special board meeting held at the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital. Complete silence greeted the board’s decision.
Philip Matthews, co-chair of the master program and master plan ad hoc steering committee that presented the single-hospital model as its preferred choice to the board for consideration, said more than 250 people, including physicians, staff and community partners, were involved in the two and a half year process.
“Many people will accuse us of not listening. Believe me, that’s not the case. All feedbacks, comments, blogs, petitions, etc., have been brought to the board,” he said. “This decision is a difficult decision, but it’s not an isolated decision.”
He said access to quality health care was a constant theme in the feedback.
Each board member spoke to the motion before the vote and many noted a single hospital would be the best option for providing robust, sustainable, safe, quality health care to the region in the future.
Many said a single hospital would consolidate patient volume, decrease operational costs, eliminate duplication, free up foundation funding for additional equipment, offer better experiences for medical students, provide more incentive for physician and specialist recruitment and increase the potential for additional medical services here.
“Given what is happening with the health-care system, and that we are part of an integrated health-care system, we have to keep our eye on what’s happening with the funding model and funding priorities of the province,” said board member Brenda Gefucia.
But some seemed torn.
Board member Gregg Evans noted health care has changed drastically over the past five decades with advanced technology shortening patient stays and the province shifting to specialized clinics and home-first health-care models.
He said it was possible Muskoka would require fewer beds in 20 years than it has now, regardless of an aging and expanding population.
“If I was to vote today with my head, I would opt for the one-site model for all the right reasons,” he said. “But this model will undoubtedly force a large percentage of the population to longer driving distances and … we will be losing patients in the perimeter catchment area to Orillia and North Bay, not to mention the political fallout.”
And Dr. Jennifer Macmillan, an ex-officio board member, shared her concerns as well.
“The first is that the decision the committee has arrived at is based on assumptions about health-care funding models that are just now really being rolled out,” said Macmillan. “We don’t really know if those are going to be models that are going to continue to be used in the next 15, 20 or 30 years. They are somewhat experimental.”
She said the province’s shift to community-based care models was also new and had many question marks around it still, while a one-hospital model for Muskoka could have significant economic effects on the region and require a highly co-ordinated transportation system that did not exist.
“However, I can also see a lot of benefits that come along with it,” she added.
A centralized hospital is estimated to cost about $396 million, based on inflation, which makes it less than the $541 million redeveloped two acute-care hospital option.
Muskoka residents would be responsible for raising 10 per cent of the capital cost of the project, plus funding equipment and furniture. The estimated community share for the single-site model is about $94.9 million.
Board member Cameron Renwick noted he read every piece of feedback, as did every board member.
“But the one comment that struck me most was the one that asked, ‘Does the board have the guts to make the right decision,’” said Renwick. “I know we do.”
Board chair Charles Forret said after the meeting that he would be surprised if there wasn’t backlash from the community about the decision.
He noted no decision had been made on the location of the single-site hospital.
He said the board would submit the decision it had made that evening to the province for approval and, if approval were granted, a committee that included community members would be formed to consider locations. But the site-selection process could take six the 12 months because of stringent rules, he said.
NEWS Jun 04, 2015 by Alison Brownlee Huntsville Forester