CEO’s March report
The Manitoulin Health Centre’s (MHC) recent board meeting began with CEO Derek Graham’s summary activity report for March.
“Work continues towards on-boarding the human resources which were approved under the Small Hospital Innovation Fund. Interviews for the various positions have been held and contracts are being established,” explained Mr. Graham. “As previously reported, these positions will enhance discharge planning, quality and integration, teleopthamology and data quality/decision support.”
Mr. Graham also reported to the board that the purchase order had been issued and the new IT hardware will soon be arriving.
“Thanks to the province’s Small Hospital Innovation Fund, $100,000 in new equipment and related software will soon be in place at MHC,” he noted.
“MHC is moving forward on a plan to purchase new infusion pumps across both sites,” Mr. Graham continued. “The goal will be to accomplish a broad-sweeping replacement, allowing for a single type of pump to be deployed wherever possible. This strategy will simplify training, ease of use and enhance safety of medication administration through standardization.”
He explained that planning was continuing on the Family Health Team’s construction project in Mindemoya, with the final architectural plan and initial preparation for tender currently taking place.
“The work to install new fire suppression at the Mindemoya site has been completed,” Mr. Graham said. “A big thanks to everyone who cooperated across departments to make this happen. We are also pleased with the installation of new signage at the Mindemoya site.”
“Preparation for June’s accreditation visit continues to unfold,” he added. “Planning for a mock disaster has begun, which is slated for early May. Staff surveys for safety and worklife have been distributed and are being completed.”
Chief of nursing report
Chief Nursing Officer Mary Lynn Wright delivered her March report to the board following the CEO’s report.
She began by noting that she was “looking forward to working with the new hires.”
In terms of safety, she reported that the infection control nurse had attended an open house at Public Health Ontario in Sudbury recently and that the learning management system training on preventing slips, trips and falls and the WHMIS modules had been distributed to staff over January and February.
“Recruitment efforts for nurses are underway including attending career fairs, community visits, placement and new graduate opportunities,” she continued. “Summer students have been hired and will start working with us May 2 at each site. The successful candidate for the quality lead position will start her new position April 14.”
Under patient care, Ms. Wright explained that palliative care training was completed recently with four nurses attending (two from each site) and will be sharing their knowledge with colleagues and assisting them in setting up program/process changes if required.
“Training is taking place this week for the electronic charting on the inpatient units and is going live in April,” she added.
“The interagency discharge planning group meeting was held on March 20,” she continued. “Working with our partners through mental health committees, MHC has received funding to purchase videoconferencing equipment to link patients with psychiatric services in Sudbury, improving access and timeliness of care. Also, we expect the discharge planning position will be filled soon.”
Financial report
MHC Chief Financial Officer Lynn Foster presented a financial highlight report for February via teleconference.
Ms. Foster began with an overview of MHC operations.
“After eleven months of operation in our 2013-2014 fiscal year, MHC ends up with a $160,000 surplus,” explained Ms. Foster. “The $316,000 positive variance in revenues together with the $42,000 positive variance in expenses leaves MHC with an overall positive variance of $358,000.”
As for investment performance, Ms. Foster said that “MHC’s investment portfolio has been managed by Beutel Goodman since January 2006. MHC’s assets under management have a book value of $4,454,311 with a fair market value of $5,118,025. The asset mix is currently 44 percent fixed income and 56 percent equity, which is slightly outside the target range of 45/55.”
“The average annualized return since joining the fun (January 2006) is equal to 7.43 percent,” she added. “While the 12 month rolling average return is 18.15 percent.”
Chief of Staff report
MHC Chief of Staff Dr. Stephen Cooper reviewed his March report with the board via teleconference, as he was attending a conference in Banff.
“The Physician Leadership Conference at the end of February was a success,” he began. “The group has requested that the organizing committee schedule two similar meetings a year. They directed the organizing committee to work on building a stable and rational lab service program for small communities. They also requested the organizing committee develop a mechanism to review patient transfers between sites in the Northeast LHIN. There was a lot of discussion regarding the implementation of QBPs (Quarterly Banking Profile) and other funding changes. It was a great opportunity to Health Sciences North to show some of the improvements it has made in the last five years in improving patient care.”
He also explained that Sudbury specialists Dr. Gay and Dr. Kealy have completed their final clinics at the hospital and that the medical staff “are appreciative of the work and service that they have done over many years.”
“This is the last month for the third year Northern Ontario School of Medicine students (NOSM),” he continued. “They have been here for eight months and are the first of what we hope will be a regular rotation. All four Family Health Teams worked together to provide a unique learning and work opportunity for the two students. They gave short presentations last Monday, part of which was an appreciation for the experience on Manitoulin.”
Dr. Cooper ended his report by stating that Dr. Bedard and members of the Local Education Group, which is another NOSM initiative, held their first rounds at the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre. “Dr. Caycedo presented on the success Health Sciences North is having in implanting early mobilization post bowel resection,” he added.
MHC fundraising committee launches new campaign
Fundraising chair Angela Becks informed the board that the committee is looking into the feasibility of launching a bed campaign for both Manitoulin sites. The campaign would look to raise $200,000 for the purchase of 20 beds.
She noted that both hospital auxiliaries had already committee to raising funds for the project.