Hospitals recommendation coming down Aug. 8 in Huntsville

HUNTSVILLE — Some say it’s a one done deal, while others are more hopeful two hospitals can survive past 2030.

The hospitals task force will recommend one of three options for post 2030.

But the answer to one of two hospitals is a step closer.

Following a year’s study, Muskoka Algonquin Hospital’s Capital Plan Development Task Force will make known it recommendation for a preferred service delivery model for the year 2030 and beyond, they say in a release Thursday, July 19.

The three models the task force has been reviewing are:

  • Two Acute Sites
  • Inpatient Site/Outpatient Site
  • One Site

Task force members will present the model recommendation at a special meeting of the MAHC board of directors at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 8, in the board room at the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital (HDMH) site.

The special meeting will be subject to the same procedures and protocols as all Board meetings and is open to the public as observers.

The task force was formed in August 2017 with broad membership to oversee the process and work plan associated with Stage 1 (Part A & Part B) of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s capital planning process, and to make recommendations to the MAHC board of directors.

To date, the task force’s work has been focused on Ministry requirements of Part A of the planning stage, and specifically to develop and define three potential service delivery models, evaluate the advantages, disadvantages, benefits and challenges of each model, and recommend the best model for the future.

“This recommendation is the long-awaited culmination of countless hours of task force work over the past 12 months to arrive at a consensus on a preferred service delivery model,” says task force chair Cameron Renwick in the release.

“The journey will not end here as our planning work will continue and focus on how you build the model and where, but this recommendation is a significant milestone in the process.”

The meeting will be recorded using specialized telemedicine videoconferencing that will enable a webcast of the presentation to the board to be viewed either at home or from each MAHC site.

As space and seating at each hospital site is limited, observers are asked to register in advance.

To register as a meeting observer, visit: www.mahc.ca/meetingregister or call 705-789-2311 ext. 2881 and leave a message with your name and phone number and the site you are requesting to attend at (ie: Huntsville or Bracebridge) by noon on Aug. 3.

To watch the presentation live online, visit: www.mahc.ca/webcast on Aug. 8 at 5:30 p.m.

The board has been committed to keeping up-to-date on the task force’s work throughout the process. After the Board has given its final consideration to the recommendation, an announcement will be made on Aug. 10, 2018.

For more information about MAHC’s future planning work, visit www.mahc.ca/planning-for-the-future.