County News
Cutting in pieces
QHC board endorses revised plan to cut PECMH to 12 beds over three years
Quinte Health Care has slowed down the pace by which it will eliminate nine beds from Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital, but the cuts will proceed.
At its monthly meeting on Tuesday QHC’s board endorsed management’s process whereby four inpatient beds will be cut from PECMH this year, and three next year, while the fate of the remaining two beds will likely be determined the year after that.
Maternity care in Picton will continue in the short term, but QHC CEO Mary Clare Egberts told the board that once PECMH falls below a certain level of beds, the Picton hospital will not longer be capable of providing maternity care.
The proposed elimination of endoscopic procedures will be looked at again. Egberts noted the sharp reaction by County physicians to the proposed elimination of endoscopic procedures in Picton—adding that the hospital corporation’s surgery program was taking another look at how it manages this service and would “broaden consultation to include Prince Edward County physicians.”
The original proposal to close QHC’s funding gap targeted about $8.8 million in potential savings. The revised version of the proposal approved last week looks to cut about $8.5 million on an annualized basis from QHC’s costs.
Board member Darlene O’Farrell worried that slowing down the pace of cuts might impact the corporation’s ability to balance its budget.
“Not a definitive answer yet,” reported John Embregts, chair of the finance committee. “We will start with a deficit and work through the year anticipating closing the gap as the year goes on.”
Most, but not all, board members were comfortable they had enough information to approve the proposed cuts.
QHC director Doug McGregor said he was concerned that there were too many open issues.
“Are we endorsing a direction?” asked McGregor. “Or a specific list of measures and reductions?”
Embregts assured his fellow director that it was an ongoing process the board was being asked to endorse.
Among the to me important amenities I was considering when planning to retire in Picton, was the in town hospital. Now, it appears that the hospital may not be around for when I will need it in a few years, and I will seriously need to reconsider my retirement plans as a result. I wonder how many seniors might similarly change their minds about retiring in beautiful PEC, and go elsewhere, where where their health needs will be better met.
In another article in this issue of your paper, the hope expressed by some municipal officers is that more people will come from Toronto and retire and build houses if the fees are reduced. I suggest that no amount of building fee reduction will compensate for a perceived threat of the erosion/elimination of basic in town emergency medical services and hospital care.