Friday, July 30, 2010

Hospitals Get ER Funding

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Regional
by Kevin Bernard    

At least two hospitals in the region are receiving funding from Queens Park this year, to try and reduce ER wait times.

Ontario Health and Long Term Care Minister, Deb Mathews tells Bayshore Broadcasting News that Grey Bruce Health Services is receiving  approximately 400 thousand dollars.

Stats released by the Ontario government on Thursday show the wait time at the Owen Sound hospital ER average 6.1 hours.

That is under the government target of 8 hours.

Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie is getting 859 thousand dollars to help lower wait times.

It has an average wait time of 9.7 hours, which is above the provincial target.

The stats also show only Victoria and University hospitals in London have longer wait times, both at around 14 hours.

Mathews says each hospital develops it's own plan to address the issue, and the province is targeting money based on the most need first.

Ontario's Health Minister says in total, 100 million dollars is going to 25 E-R's this year to help them track patient flow and hire nurse practitioners to treat and discharge patients quicker.