Hospitals task force hears calls for 2 full-service sites

MUSKOKA — Bracebridge continues to support the position that a full range of core hospital services should be maintained on a multi-site basis at both the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge and the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital.

More than 60 people attended the meeting at District of Muskoka council chamber late Thursday afternoon.

That’s their message to one of the groups tasking itself with sorting out hospitalization in Muskoka.

On Thursday, March 2, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s Capital Plan Development Task Force held a public consultation session to receive comments regarding long-term hospital planning work currently being undertaken.

It’s the one, two or a bit of both story for the north and south hospitals.

The meeting was at the District of Muskoka council chambers and drew a crowd of about 60 or more members of the public and hospital representatives.

The purpose of the public meeting was for the members of the task force to listen to the community and to hear ideas about the provision of hospital services in Muskoka and the East Parry Sound region in the future.

And a number of citizens and groups spoke.

Former hospital board member Sven Migland, of Huntsville, opened the public comments by saying he would “likely surprise some people with his remarks.”

The former town councillor spoke first, saying he was in favour of two full-service hospitals – “but not the status quo.”

Bracebridge and Huntsville speakers called for two hospitals.

Each with its own ER and diagnostic departments, he said.

Deputy Mayor Rick Maloney addressed the Task Force on behalf of the Town of Bracebridge as Mayor Graydon Smith is a member of the task force representing the South Muskoka region.

Maloney said although Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and the South Muskoka region are well represented on the task force by Smith, members of Bracebridge council felt it was important the task force hear directly from the Town of Bracebridge.

He was joined at the public consultation session by town councillors Steve Clement and Lori-Lynn Giaschi-Pacini.

Maloney’s comments (attached), noted the town’s extensive involvement in MAHC’s capital planning initiatives to ensure that the interests of the citizens of Bracebridge are clearly presented and strongly represented, said a town release.

He thanked the task force for holding the public meeting.

He noted its “willingness to listen to the community and to hear comments and ideas from the public about how hospital future planning will serve to strengthen the recommendations that will be considered by the board, the North Simcoe Muskoka – Local Health Integration Network and ultimately, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

He reinforced the town’s position that smaller hospitals, such as the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge and the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, have a unique role in promoting economic development and creating sustainable communities.

Rick Maloney’s edited remarks:

I believe that my comments today will reinforce previous correspondence, resolutions and other communication provided to Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare, the LHIN and the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care by the Town of Bracebridge.

The Town of Bracebridge has been actively involved with MAHC’s capital planning process and health care delivery issues for many years.

Our goal in:

  • participating in MAHC’s capital planning processes;
  • engaging with the LHIN in response to MAHC’s 2015 submission to the LHIN on a single-site option;
  • securing a prime 44.5 acre site and making it available to MAHC, at no cost, as part of the Town’s future contributions toward sustainable acute care hospital services;
  • developing a joint proposal with the Town of Huntsville for submission to the LHIN’s Healthcare Task Force;
  • participating on the MAHST Council and supporting the MAHST recommendations;
  • directly advocating to the Provincial Government in support of MAHC;
  • and supporting the work of the Health Task Force created by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario has been to encourage the development of an acute care health care system that supports and meets the needs of the people of Bracebridge, Huntsville and the other municipalities in Muskoka and the east Parry Sound region.

As the Task Force looks forward, the Town of Bracebridge would like to emphasize several key points for your consideration:

  • Muskoka needs a health-care system, including the delivery of acute careservices, that is locally-designed and that is responsive to local needs.
  • We believe that there are opportunities for greater efficiency and effectiveness in health-care service delivery in the future, including the delivery of acute care, primary care, mental health and addictions, social services, public health and related services.

If these efficiencies are pursued by the Ministry of Health andLong-term Care, the challenges associated with providing enhanced funding for MAHC’s acute care services can be lessened.

  • The town recognizes that, although MAHC continues to seek operational efficiencies within existing acute care operations, the hospital is faced with pressing operational challenges both in the near term and on a long-term basis.
  • With Mayor Smith’s leadership, the Town will continue our direct advocacy with the Provincial Government to ensure that the Province recognizes that MAHC remains challenged by the potential for significant operating deficits in the future.
  • We strongly believe that the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care needs to ensure that future decisions on acute care capital planning align with the broader Muskoka and area health system plans.
  • As part of MAHC’s capital planning process, the Ministry of Health and LongTerm Care should be encouraged to ensure that health system reform in Muskoka and area leads to the development of a health system that meets the quadruple aim of Better Health, Better Care, Better Value and Better Provider Experience, as identified through the MAHST project.
  • The quadruple aim needs to remain a priority for the NSM-LHIN and the Ministry of Health and they need to ensure that appropriate resources are provided through the LHIN to support this vital goal.
  • The town believes that smaller hospitals, such as the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital and the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, have a unique role in promoting economic development and creating sustainable communities in Ontario. We believe that this factor should be recognized by MAHC in the development of future acute care plans.
  • The town maintains our strong objection to the 2015 decision by Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s Board of Directors to support the concept of one centrally-located acute care hospital as the model for long-term sustainable hospital services for the area serviced by MAHC.
  • The Town continues to support the position that a full range of core hospital services, including acute care inpatient, emergency, diagnostic and surgical services, should be maintained on a multi-site basis at both the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge and the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital.
  • As the Task force moves forward with your deliberations, it is crucial that the following items are considered as key factors to be evaluated during the Stage 1

Capital Planning process currently underway:

  • Community economic impacts of any long-term plans for hospitals;
  • The ability to raise the funds required for sustainable hospital services;
  • Operational and cost impacts of any long-term plans for hospitals on both the lower and upper-tier levels of government including cost implications on Emergency Medical Services (EMS), water treatment services, sanitary sewer services, transit, etc.;
  • And direct impact on local healthcare service providers;

In moving forward with the development of your plans, MAHC must recognize the limited revenues available to Ontario’s municipalities to provide large contributions to hospital facilities and capital development in the face of other pressing infrastructure requirements within the communities.

  • The Town hopes that MAHC and the NSM-LHIN will encourage the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to ensure that adequate capital funding is provided to hospitals to support the facilities and services that residents need in their communities.

The Town of Bracebridge appreciates that MAHC is faced with very difficult and potentially contentious decisions. We believe that the open and transparent process being followed by MAHC and the involvement of stakeholders at the start of your deliberations will ultimately lead to the development of a recommendation to the LHIN and the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care that will truly meet the needs of Bracebridge and the other municipalities in Muskoka and East Parry Sound.

Thank you for your time today. The Town is here to support MAHC’s work going

forward to develop an acute care model that will address local requirements in the long term.

Mayor Smith and Bracebridge Council have been strong advocates for Muskoka

Algonquin Healthcare in the past and we will continue our advocacy to support MAHC and the people of Bracebridge in the future.