RMH responds to concerns in the community
Our Situation:
For the past four years, RMH did not receive any increase in Ministry funding despite inflationary pressures. In addition, the Ross received $1.124M less funding in 2015/16 due to health system funding reform. Despite this shortfall, we remain cautiously optimistic that RMH will end this year (2015/16) with a balanced budget. The provincial government has ended its funding freeze with an increase for hospitals in 2016/17. It is unclear, at this time, what support RMH will receive. In order to address a funding gap of $3M for the 2016/17 budget year, efforts to trim costs are underway throughout the organization.
This is a challenging time for the Ross Team and we understand how misinformation can create anxiety in the public. In the interest of transparency and accuracy, here is the Ross Memorial Hospital’s position on rumours that are circulating in the community.
1. The Ross Memorial is not cutting patient services. Despite budget challenges, RMH remains committed to maintaining volumes of patient care and services. We have reorganized units such as the Palliative/Complex Care Unit and the Surgical/Obstetrical Unit in an effort to better utilize our
resources and ensure a sustainable nurse-to-patient ratio. Quality care is our priority.
2. The Ross is not closing its lab, and patients will not have to travel to Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) to have their lab samples tested. Once patient samples are collected by RMH staff, certain samples will be sent to PRHC, twice per day by courier. Critical results will be telephoned immediately, and all results will be sent electronically to RMH for physicians to follow-up with their patients.
3. RMH is not closing an operating room. The Hospital is reorganizing staffing and procedures that are performed in one operating room and on Mondays only. We are still doing the same volume of procedures. Again, services have not been cut.
4. The Hospital’s maternity ward (Obstetrics Unit) is not closing. In fact, the hospital has implemented the bed reconfiguration between the Surgical and Obstetrics Unit to improve the sustainability of the Obstetrical program. The Hospital experienced a 15% increase in deliveries in 2015. However, under the current funding structure, the program is penalized when there are empty beds. The bed reconfiguration will optimize bed and staffing utilization on the Obstetrical and Surgical Floors, by filling our empty obstetrical beds with surgical patients.
The Ross Memorial Hospital is committed to providing acute and continuing care, and to anticipating and responding to the health needs of our community. Those who have questions or concerns about these or other issues are encouraged to contact the Hospital at 705-328-6246 or email publicrelations@rmh.org. Rumours, myths, and misinformation create confusion and anxiety for our patients. We would be delighted to answer your questions factually.