By Rik Ganderton
President and CEO

So much to say. Firstly, my thanks and thanks from our executive team and the Board of Directors to our nurses, security, physicians and all staff involved in handling a significant incident in our Emergency Department at the Centenary campus on April 16.

We placed the Centenary Emergency Department on redirect status following the incident in which a patient seriously injured himself late that morning. Staff and physicians responded immediately to the situation and in handling the redirection of ambulances and emergency patients like the professionals they are.

OUR RECOVERY CONTINUES
We have been busy in healthcare partner and public consultations concerning our improved new model of mental health care delivery.

Much has been reported in the media. For clarity, please reference the information posted on our web site since March 25.
From the consultations, we have been able to better define issues, such as transportation of patients and families, which we will address during the next five months before our improved model of mental health care is put into place.

It’s important that our patients, families and communities—in addition to all of you—know that this model represents better access to our services by:

• Increasing crisis services from 12 to 16 hours a day, seven days a week at both campuses;
• Maintaining our outpatient services, which serves the majority of mental health patients at both campuses;
• Ensuring access to all mental health services, including emergencies, continues at each campus;
• Pooling expertise for inpatient care.
Our Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering mental health information page has much more detail on this.

More information is available online at www.rougevalley.ca and at www.centraleastlhin.on.ca.

FUNDING
We have received funding from the provincial government as announced on April 13. That funding is not new and will not change our need to become more effective as we move up to the standards of the best community hospitals in Ontario.
We also remain focused on implementing our Deficit Elimination Plan so that we can effectively reduce our $78 million long-term debt and working capital deficit.

You’ve heard me say it many times in our Town Halls, but it’s worth repeating: we know we can perform with the best hospitals in Ontario—a top quartile performer rather than average, or worse. Rouge Valley is striving to be among the best of Ontario community acute care hospitals in both quality and effectiveness.

Having met many of you during the last year, I know we have the dedicated, high quality staff, physicians and volunteers to achieve this.”

Ministry Funding

By Rik Ganderton
President and CEO
Rouge Valley Health System

On Sunday, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced a $667 million funding boost for Ontario hospitals to address new beds, more surgeries and shorter wait times.

While the actual amount for Rouge Valley Health System is still be to announced by the Central East Local Health Integration Network, we are pleased to receive any additional funding and thank the Ministry.

It is important to note that this additional funding does not change our financial challenge. We remain focused on implementing our Deficit Elimination Plan so that we can effectively reduce our $78 million long-term debt and working capital deficit. These additional funds will be a positive first step in getting our financial house in order so that we can better focus on the future healthcare needs of our communities in west Durham and east Toronto.

Our plan is about more than simply reducing our debts and deficit. Rouge Valley is now focusing on performing at higher standards of effectiveness, as other hospitals do. You’ve heard me say it many times in our Town Halls, but it’s worth repeating: we know we can bring ourselves to the benchmarks of the best hospitals in Ontario—a top quartile performer rather than average, or worse. Rather than aiming for the median, or average, Rouge Valley is now striving for top-quartile performance in quality and effectiveness.

Having met many of you during the last year, I know we have the dedicated, high quality staff, physicians and volunteers to achieve this.

Details of our Deficit Elimination Plan are available on the Intranet.

CE LHIN Board motion adds 30-day consultation period

By Rik Ganderton
President and CEO
Rouge Valley Health System

New information has just become available from the Central East LHIN's Board meeting today, March 28.

The LHIN Board members have passed a supplementary motion, which is relevant to our Deficit Elimination Plan. Here is the wording of the Central East LHIN Board motion: "Be it resolved that the (CE LHIN) Board requires RVHS to work with the LHIN prior to the implementation of the planned consolidation of MHA (Mental Health and Addictions) services in conducting a 30 day consultation period with community stakeholders, and the general public.”

As a consequence of this, we will receive clarification from the LHIN during the next week. We will share that clarification with all of you – staff, physicians and volunteers – as soon as possible. I’m sorry we don’t have any greater detail on this yet. But I wanted to share this information with you now. We will continue to keep you informed in a timely fashion.

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.