The Sun Country Health Region is working within tight budget constraints with no expectations of a loosening of the financial knots, at least not until the transition into one mega health region is completed later this fall.
But that fact did not deter the board members from passing a motion to update the nurse call system at Moose Mountain Lodge in Carlyle. The change, which will be implemented using some provincial Health Ministry capital funds, comes at a cost of about $136,000 said John Knoch, vice-president of corporate and financial for the health region. “Some is coming from the ministry and the rest has been raised through fundraising efforts in Carlyle,” he said, adding the project had been “on the books for a couple of years.”
The new system will align the communication lines at different sites to provide a more cohesive and efficient call system.
A similar system is being introduced at Mainprize Manor in Midale, for the same reason, taking up about $128,000 while an $89,000 upgrade is on target at the Fillmore Health Centre as well.
The board also received a comprehensive report that covered the weight of laundered linens used per patient day last December in each health region facility with the cost per bed each day being recorded and noted based on charges forwarded to the region by the independent laundry service.
As an example, Arcola’s acute care facility had the lowest volume of linen use at 1,573 pounds with a cost of $13.77 per bed, each day for linen cleaning services while Tatagwa View, a long-term care facility in Weyburn saw the highest usage at 15,113 pounds of linen laundry with a cost per bed, each day of $3.05.
Delivery of some supplies, including linen was delayed a couple of times due to weather related factors while one day saw a shortened route. All facilities were advised of the one-day cancellations and no issues were reported.
Fillmore’s long-term care facility was at 1,730 pounds of linen, Galloway Centre in Oxbow was at 3,607 pounds while Lampman long-term care weighed in at 2,331 pounds and Mainprize Manor (Midale) was 1,599 and Moose Mountain Lodge was just under 5,000 pounds. New Hope long-term care in Stoughton was at 2,822 pounds.
On the maintenance side of her report, CEO Marga Cugnet noted the Fillmore project to replace eaves on the health centre, has now started and the nurse call upgrade referred to by Knoch, was completed with everyone now trained on the new system.
The physician candidate summary report indicated that Dr. Ranu has completed one section of his certification procedures and required four additional weeks to complete the process before being located in Carlyle.
The CEO’s report also bore the information that nurse practitioners in Carlyle and Kipling are now recording 10-hour days on a trial basis to improve access for patients with early evening appointments.
