Pembroke, December 3, 1996 - The Health Services Restructuring Commission (HSRC) today released its report and recommendations on restructuring Pembroke's health services.
The restructuring plan, based on the criteria of high quality, accessibility and affordability, is contained in notices of intention to issue directions that the Commission has delivered to local hospitals, the Renfrew County District Health Council and the Ministry of Health.
Local organizations and individuals will have 45 days to submit written comments. After considering new information received during this period, the HSRC will issue its final report on Pembroke hospital services, directions to the two Pembroke hospitals and recommendations to the ministry on additional funding for other health services affected by hospital restructuring.
The Pembroke restructuring plan is based on the report prepared by the Pembroke Hospital Services Review Committee of the Renfrew County District Health Council.
It recognizes the unique aspects of Pembroke's health services system and its role as a hospital centre for Renfrew County.
Under the Commission's plan, all hospital services will be provided by Pembroke General Hospital. The site of Pembroke Civic Hospital will be closed.
"Our decisions focus on developing a hospital system that will serve the needs of Pembroke and Renfrew County effectively, efficiently and economically for years to come," said commissioner George Lund. "The Commission's restructuring plan builds on the excellent report of the Renfrew County District Health Council. We congratulate them for their fine and thoughtful work."
The Commission has adopted most of the DHC's recommendations, including creation of a single-site hospital with a single governing board with broad community representation.
"The plan developed in Pembroke demonstrates how far this community has progressed down the restructuring road," said Lund. "The Commission's philosophy - and its practice - is to direct implementation of locally developed restructuring plans when we are satisfied that these plans will help the community meet the health care needs of its residents and financial requirements."
A plan by the two hospitals for consolidating all hospital services - including acute, chronic, rehabilitation and mental health - at Pembroke General must be developed by March 31, 1997.
The hospitals' plan will also include ways to maximize the efficiency of their administrative, support and diagnostic services. As well, both hospitals will work with employee representatives to develop a human resources adjustment plan, with the same deadline.
In addition, the General Hospital will develop a plan by February 28, 1997, to ensure its board of directors is representative of the ethnic, linguistic, cultural and socio-economic composition of the Pembroke community.
By March 31, 1997, the Civic Hospital will prepare a plan to close its site and transfer its services to the General by December 31, 1997. Pembroke Civic's plan will include the following milestones: its emergency department will close by June 30, 1997, and it will stop admitting elective patients by October 31, 1997.
The Commission is recommending that the Ministry of Health approve a capital budget of up to $5.5 million for renovating and expanding the Pembroke General site to accommodate its increased caseload. To provide full clinical services, it recommends that hospital space be expanded by 6,800 square feet.
The redeveloped hospital will give the community access to 87 acute care beds, which include 10 intensive care beds within a new critical care unit; 18 chronic care beds; 17 new rehabilitation beds; and 18 new mental health beds, for a total of 140 beds. The emergency department will be enlarged to a capacity for 54,000 visits annually.
"By consolidating the two hospitals' programs, duplicate services and programs will be eliminated," Lund said. "Consolidating services also will create a critical mass at one site, which has been shown to improve quality of care and outcomes. The new system will serve Pembroke more effectively and efficiently and save approximately $14.6 million annually."
The Commission will give further consideration to what additional support will be required to improve health information services and community-based and related services.
The report recommends that a review the county's high utilization rate of home care services be carried out before the Commission makes a recommendation concerning reinvestment in this area.
Pembroke hospitals have a high admission rate, so the Commission has directed them to undertake a review of clinical practices to assess potentially avoidable admissions.
It recommends also that the DHC examine the potential for restructuring the four hospitals in Renfrew County outside Pembroke (Renfrew, Barry's Bay, Deep River and Arnprior). This study will be undertaken in concert with a review of small hospitals by all the district health councils in Eastern Ontario.
The Commission will revisit the number, location and organization of Pembroke's psycho-geriatric and psychiatric rehabilitation beds after it analyses further information in the context of planning for the Ottawa-Carleton health district.
HSRC will address the issue of Pembroke's supply and availability of physicians after it completes its analysis of health services and requirements in Ottawa-Carleton.
The Health Services Restructuring Commission is an independent agency with a four-year mandate to preserve health care services in Ontario. It has been charged with restructuring Ontario's hospital sector and advising the Ministry of Health on restructuring other health services to improve quality, outcomes and efficiency.
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Media contact: Jane Stewart (416) 327-5504
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