Daub: HHCC needs more funding from the province

Headwaters Health Care Centre CEO Stacey Daub was at Dufferin County Council last Thursday (Nov. 9) discussing the hospital's need for more funding from the province.

In her presentation to council, Ms. Daub provided an update on hospital matters, asking members to re-imagine the role Headwaters plays in the community.

She says staff and officials strive for high-quality care, pointing to the hospital's average emergency wait time – the time that elapses between arrival at the hospital and admission to a room – at 11 hours, which she says is an area the hospital “does really well at,” compared to the provincial average time of 48.5 hours.

Ms. Daub described the hospital as an “economic engine,” but warned they can't do everything. “It's not possible, technology is constantly changing.”

She says their biggest challenge is financial, due to a model the province moved to in 2012 that aims at reflecting the needs of patients served by each hospital and its surrounding community.

The model compensates health-care organizations based on how many patients they look after, the services they deliver, and the needs of the broader population they serve.

Ms. Daub says the new model is “quite difficult for medium-sized hospitals” like Headwaters, and is not working for them.

“We have developed a very extensive business case and are working in collaboration with the local LHIN (Local Health Integration Network) to make a pitch for a base adjustment with the Ministry of Health to address the gap between the funding we receive and what our community deserves.”

She says community growth and demand, particularly in Shelburne, is another challenge they face, and are looking to build up their organization and infrastructure, for their  “ability to work financially to build our human resources.”

She added that despite donations and charity events they host, “requiring funding is a difficult situation … it's an ongoing challenge for us.”

Pointing to the fact the hospital building is now 20 years old, she said “maintenance and facility issues are coming and require funding.”

She also spoke of the growing number of seniors and babies in the area. This year to date, she said thy have delivered 20 per cent more babies than last year – about 200 more – which is “a really big deal” for a hospital Headwaters' size.

Ms. Daub says they will engage with citizens, patients, partners, businesses, and the government, to for the future of the hospital.

Dufferin Warden Darren White encouraged Ms. Daub to “keep [council] in the loop” on the hospitals' activities and their request for more provincial funding.