Our recovery continues

By Rik Ganderton
President and CEO
Rouge Valley Health System

Rouge Valley’s recovery process continues to be developed. As discussed at our Town Hall meetings with you in January, our senior administration has been analyzing and developing a recovery implementation plan.

This is all part of the Peer Review process initiated by the Central East Local Health Integration Network (CE LHIN) with Rouge Valley’s full support.

Here’s an outline of how that process will work.
• Currently senior administration is developing the plan. Phase One of this plan will be to live within our means and balance our budget. We have massive debt to deal with, as I said in our Town Halls.
• Our implementation plan will be reviewed by the RVHS Board of Directors.
• The Board will then forward the approved implementation plan to the CE LHIN Board before the end of March for its approval.

During 2008 our recovery plan will go into place, providing a platform for the hospital to establish itself as the best at what we do – providing excellent, quality-focused community hospital care.

Please know that RVHS will be maintaining its 24/7/365 Emergency Departments and access to core services at both of its hospital campuses, as part of its community hospital identity.

The significant redevelopment of RVAP continues as planned. As you know, we are adding 140,000 square feet of new and renovated space to greatly enhance our emergency and related services, including cardiac diagnostics, diagnostic imaging and lab services—to name a few. Our two smaller, but important projects, at RVC also continue: the Birthing and Newborn Centre; and Mental Health Supportive Housing.

We will continue to communicate regularly. I welcome your comments and questions.

As always, thank you for your continued commitment to Rouge Valley and our patients.