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Hospital executives hear concerns from Bracebridge council

A special meeting was held on July 24 so Bracebridge council could outline the concerns they have heard from residents about Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare's (MAHC) hospital redevelopment plan.  Cheryl Harrison, president and chief executive officer for MAHC, and Dave Uffelmann, board chair for MAHC's board of directors, were invited earlier this month after council directed staff to look into putting conditions on its $10 million local share commitment.  They were joined at the meeting by the five other members of MAHC's senior leadership team.  Ahead of the meeting, Stephen Rettie, the town’s chief administrative officer, wrote a memorandum outlining the hospital redevelopment journey so far. In it, he pointed out the town's local share commitment was made before the current "Made-in-Muskoka healthcare system" proposal was on the table. "And before stakeholder and public engagement had taken place on it," he added.  MAHC announced it had raised 95 percent of the $225 million local share fund in Oct. 2023. A few months later, the current proposal was unveiled, pushing aside the "status quo" model that was previously being discussed.  The discussion happens during a busy time for MAHC with them preparing to submit their "Made-in-Muskoka healthcare system" proposal to the Ministry of Health this fall.  With that in mind, Coun. Barry Hammond asked if the submission would happen even if there were still many South Muskoka-based physicians who aren't satisfied.  "Likely, yes," responded Uffelmann.  He clarified the concerned South Muskoka physicians make up "somewhere in the high 30s" of the over 200 credentialed staff with MAHC. Uffelmann added the gap between what MAHC wants and what the physicians want is "getting narrower."  Bracebridge's Mayor Rick Maloney classified comparing the number of concerned physicians to the overall number of credentialed staff as "tone-deaf."  "Almost anyone you talk to [in South Muskoka] has a connection to one of those doctors," he shared. Maloney added they're not some "rogue group," rather they're people who have spent many years in this community and care about its future.  In the months since the new proposal was tabled, Rettie outlined some of the concerns raised include the allocation of inpatient beds, recruitment and retention of physicians, how MAHC has communicated its plans, and how patients will be transported between the hospitals in Bracebridge and Huntsville.  Rettie pointed out, though, that MAHC is considering a passenger shuttle between the hospitals in Bracebridge and Huntsville for loved ones, adding preliminary works suggests it could cost $300,000 annually.  He said physicians have noted their concern about having to transfer patients, however, he noted MAHC has said patient transfers will only increase one or two a day with its current model and they would only be moved if they're in stable condition. Rettie added MAHC estimates 93 percent of patients will get the care they need at the hospital they originally went to.  As for some of the other concerns, Uffelmann suggested some may be addressed before the submission is made or in the years ahead before the hospitals are built. He added that's why they created multiple working groups to address transportation, hospital utilization, and community and homecare support.  "We absolutely would like to bring more of the doctors on side," he continued.  However, Uffelmann said whatever changes they make to the model must be driven by data, using obstetrical care as an example. He added it's not as simple as asking for money, pointing out how Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health won't accept them simply saying more beds are needed without giving them a detailed breakdown on why it's necessary.  "Changes can’t be arbitrary," he said.  Harrison added while data has driven their projections, they are just that: projections.   She shared how flexibility is being built into both hospitals to address that. Harrison explained the consultants working on the project look for four areas that could be used for flexibility, like "soft space," where things such as administrative offices can be moved off-site.  Alasdair Smith, vice president of corporate services and chief financial officer for MAHC, detailed how using a modular style for building the new hospitals allows them room to grow. "It's like building with LEGO," he explained. "If you come back in five years and decide you want to adjust it, you can take it apart and reconstruct it. That exists today."  He added that's why they chose the Pine St. property for the future South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge. The new Huntsville District Memorial Hospital will be built at 100 Frank Miller Dr., the same place where the current hospital is.  Harrison added the hospitals will also have built in room for "surge," which she defined as having enough space for when the hospital is - at minimum - 20 percent over capacity. She said they have that at both sites now, but it's "not very accommodating."  Also attending the meeting were Huntsville's Mayor Nancy Alcock and District Coun. Bob Stone.  MAHC recently received support from Huntsville council.  A few weeks before that support, Alcock, Stone, the town's Deputy Mayor Dan Armour, and District Coun. Scott Morrison were the only dissenting votes when district council ruled that MAHC must share its plan with them before they submit it to get its hands on the district's $77.3 million local share commitment.  The nearly three-hour meeting was also attended by Bruce Kruger, chair of the Save South Muskoka Hospital Committee.  "We will continue working and adjusting over the next several years," said Uffelmann. He suggested as they work towards construction starting, which could happen as soon as 2029, MAHC will likely have to make changes to plan as the process evolves.  As the meeting was wrapping up, Maloney said he appreciated MAHC joining them to discuss the plan.  "We can't lose the focus that we have the responsibility to make sure that the mayor who's sitting here in 2055, whatever their name is, has the confidence that we made the right decisions, got the right plan forward, and this community is on the same leg as any other community for continued viability, economic prosperity, and a great place to live," he said. "And a hospital is key to that."  The post Hospital executives hear concerns from Bracebridge council appeared first on My Muskoka Now.