Lab Integration with PRHC ensures RMH meets highest quality care standards

In response to questions from the community, RMH President and CEO Dr. Bert Lauwers sent the following letter to the editor of the Kawartha Lakes This Week to clarify information about the hospital's laboratory integration with PRHC.

Jan. 11, 2016 - I write to respond to a letter to the editor, titled “What else is planned for the Ross Memorial Hospital?” The hospital has recently undergone an integration of its lab services with the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). In March, microbiology and pathology services will move to PRHC. Patients will continue to receive their care at the Ross. Only certain specimens will be traveling, and the Ross will continue to have a lab.

The writer is concerned that RMH may become a chronic care facility and that the lab integration was initiated by the LHIN behind closed doors. I am happy to address these concerns.

The Ross exists to serve the patients of our community. Our recently completed Strategic Plan states our mission, which is “to provide quality acute and continuing care.”  Clearly, there are no plans to divest ourselves of our role in providing 45,000 emergency visits, thousands of surgeries and acute inpatient care. We are an acute care hospital. Our vision is “exceptional care together.” This conveys our intention to further link and integrate our services with other health service providers.

The lab integration was not initiated by the LHIN, nor has it been conducted “behind closed doors.”  It was initiated by the Ross and has been listed among our corporate goals, posted internally and on our public website, since 2014. Our intention was also published in our 2015-2021 Strategic Plan, which was highlighted in this newspaper in October, with a link to the full report on our website (pg 23).

PRHC was our logical partner for integration for several reasons. The first was our historical excellent relationship with them. The second was their proximity. The third was that PRHC was able to make a $2M investment to modernize and automate its laboratory. The fourth was that PRHC has been able to achieve 100% compliance with new quality standards for pathology, developed by Cancer Care Ontario and the College of Physicians and Surgeons. There are six pathologists supporting the PRHC pathology system. The solo pathologist system at the Ross could not meet the evolving quality standards without a major investment in resources, which are simply not available. Our integration with PRHC will ensure that our patients’ samples will benefit from their advanced quality control systems. It is a good thing.

This matter was discussed in an open meeting of the LHIN on Dec. 16th, which I attended with other members of staff, and union representatives. The LHIN voted to allow the integration to proceed.

On Dec. 19th, the Health Minister released his report Patients First:  A Proposal to Strengthen Patient–Centred Health Care in Ontario. It calls for “more effective integration of services and greater equity.”  Clearly, integration will continue to advance in the interests of health care, a position from the Ministry that the RMH strongly supports.

Our goals are to continue to improve the quality of our services, maintain the volumes of our patient care services, and to do so in a fiscally prudent manner to ensure the sustainability of our hospital into the future. To the degree that technology and integration can assist in achieving these goals, they will be actively pursued.

Dr. Bert Lauwers
RMH President & CEO
 

Media Release

December 16, 2015 - Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) and Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), will now move forward with a new laboratory partnership after the Central East Local Health Integration Network (Central East LHIN) Board passed a motion to not stop the Voluntary Integration of Laboratory Services between the two organizations.

RMH has a long-standing history of excellence in the provision of laboratory services. However, new quality guidelines for pathology set by Cancer Care Ontario and the College of Physicians and Surgeons are not achievable in single pathologist laboratories such as the RMH Laboratory, without a significant investment of resources.

RMH and PRHC had submitted a Notice of Voluntary Integration to the Central East LHIN in order to ensure RMH Lab services meet these evolving standards. Through this integration, RMH will now be able to meet the newly released standards and ensure that patient care meets the highest quality standards as it transitions pathology and microbiology services from RMH to PRHC.

RMH has been actively pursuing a lab partnership since 2013. This effort has been part of the hospital’s annual goals and objectives for two years, and is included in the RMH 2015-2021 Strategic Plan.

“We’re very proud of the excellent lab services at the Ross Memorial Hospital and of our exceptional team,” said Dr. Bert Lauwers, RMH President and CEO. “It’s important that we continue providing the best patient care by ensuring we are meeting the highest quality standards and planning for sustainability in the future. We’re confident that this partnership with PRHC is in the best interest of our patients. They will not see a change in the care they receive at RMH.”

“The skilled, multidisciplinary laboratory team at PRHC performs 1.5 million lab tests each year, and has been providing select services to some of our partner hospitals in the region for a number of years. With a $2 million upgrade to modernize and automate our lab in 2015, we have increased our capacity to perform more lab tests, more safely and efficiently. As a regional centre, we look forward to continuing to provide excellent care for patients through this partnership and integration of lab services with RMH,” said Nancy Martin-Ronson, VP, Professional & Diagnostic Services, Chief Nursing Executive, Chief Information Officer, PRHC.

The change in delivery of microbiology and pathology services takes place in March 2016. Dr. Lauwers stated, “We are very thankful to our regional partners, the PRHC, Dr. McLaughlin, President and CEO of PRHC, and his team who really helped to make this happen. Together, we will be delivering a high quality pathology service which meets the new provincial standards into the future. We look forward to our growing relationship.”

“Every LHIN-funded health service provider has an accountability to identify integrations that would lead to the improved quality, access and sustainability of the services it provides to its patients,” said Deborah Hammons, Central East LHIN CEO.  “By proposing and now moving forward with this integration, the Boards, physicians, front line staff and administrators at RMH and PRHC are demonstrating their leadership and commitment to transforming the system while continuing to provide care close to home.”

The integration impacts two full time Charge Medical Lab Technologists (MLT), three full time MLTs and two part time MLTs who will have the opportunity to retire, leave voluntarily or be transferred with the work to PRHC. The plan also involves a reduction of one full time clerical position.

PRHC is working with RMH to minimize impact to PRHC staff. Current vacancies at PRHC will help to mitigate staffing changes.