Current News > January 30th, 2006: We're all in the business of building healthier communities: KDH CEO tells North Grenville Chamber members
Kemptville District Hospital
2675 Concession Road, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0
Tel: (613) 258-6133; Fax: (613) 258-7853
January 30, 2006
We're all in the business of building healthier communities: KDH CEO tells North Grenville Chamber members
"We all are in the same business; the business of building healthier communities," Kemptville District Hospital CEO Colin Goodfellow told members of the North Grenville Chamber of Commerce Jan. 27. "It's nice to know business is good."
Outlining the many recent changes both at the hospital and in health care across Ontario, Mr. Goodfellow noted that KDH is evolving into an institution that provides an integrated range of services including education, health promotion, disease prevention and care and treatment through to palliative care. Referring to the recently created Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) in Ontario, Mr. Goodfellow noted KDH is part of a very large area which includes Pembroke, all of Ottawa, and other hospitals all the way to Alexandria and south to include Cornwall. Kemptville's challenge will be to "pick up a piece of the service programming that's available.
"In order for this hospital to prosper, we are going to have to be a significant player in certain regional programs," Mr. Goodfellow added. He noted the head of the Champlain LHIN, Dr. Robert Cushman, will be visiting KDH Feb. 10.
The hospital is an important economic contributor in North Grenville, with a $10 million annual budget and a $10 million construction and renovation project about to get under way.
A highlight of Mr. Goodfellow's presentation at the North Grenville Chamber's Top CEOs of North Grenville Breakfast Connection was an overview of several recent major announcements. "Last week was an incredibly good week for us," said Mr. Goodfellow, who shared the chamber breakfast agenda with Kemptville College CEO Dr. Michael Goss.
Minister of Health and Long-Term Care George Smitherman announced Jan. 20 that the provincial government will provide $5.1 million in funding for hospital redevelopment. The project, which is targeted to begin in the spring of 2007, will see 12,000 square feet of new space and extensive renovations to an existing 15,000 square feet. Noting that over 15,000 patients visited the KDH Emergency Department last year, Mr. Goodfellow stated "the emergency department is the wrong size. We are serving a population eight times greater than it was built for."
Mr. Goodfellow stressed that local providers of service will have equal access to the contracts being awarded for the project.
A recent increase in funding for diabetes education at KDH means that sessions for people living with diabetes will be offered five days a week "and the scope and depth of what we deliver will be considerably greater." The increased funding will help KDH reduce wait times and provide expanded educational programs, such as assistance for people who are starting on insulin for the first time.
A third important announcement of the week was provincial approval for 12 new Long Term Care Beds at KDH. The LTC beds will be used by patients waiting to go to a long term care facility permanently. Those patients currently have to wait in an acute care setting not designed to provide programs for individuals requiring a long hospital stay.
The past year also saw the opening of an operating theatre for day surgery, with plans in the works to open a second OR this year. "In August we had no surgeons on staff," said Mr. Goodfellow. "Now we have seven surgeons on staff. People want to come to Kemptville to work and our residents would just as soon have their care as close to home as possible." Noting that change has come quickly to the hospital, but with the advent of LHINs and the redevelopment now under way it is no time to get comfortable, Mr. Goodfellow states, "I think it's safe to say that we are just getting started."
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Attending the recent Top CEOs of North Grenville breakfast meeting hosted by the North Grenville Chamber of Commerce from left were Dr.Michael Goss, Director of Kemptville College; Kemptville District Hospital CEO Colin Goodfellow and Chamber President Adam Shewchuk. |
For more information contact:
Chris Must, Director of Fundraising and Communications
Foundation Office - 258-6133, Ext. 194