Underfunded '905' hospitals 'being ripped off'


 
Dennis Smith

04/22/05 00:00:00
Suburban '905' hospitals are underfunded, say their supporters, who are sick and tired of the situation.

"We're being ripped off and our constituents are suffering," said Kirk Corkery, chair of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) - 905 Healthcare Alliance. "It's not right to tell our constituents they've got to hop on the GO train and go downtown (Toronto). It's proven that you get better care close to where you live."

Alliance representatives told city council last week the health care system could save nearly $17 million if patients visited hospitals closer to home, rather than going to Toronto hospitals.

"Premier (Dalton) McGuinty has called for fairness in funding from Ottawa," said Corkery. "We only hope this also applies to his own province."

Representatives of the Alliance (11 suburban hospitals from Burlington to Oshawa and north of Toronto) asked council to support their campaign for increased funding.

Mayor Rob MacIsaac said a draft resolution on the issue would be prepared for an upcoming committee meeting.

The alliance is seeking the following for GTA/905 hospitals:

 

  • A fair share (30 per cent) of any new hospital global funding.

     

  • A government commitment to address the historical funding inequity over the next five years.

     

  • Government designation of GTA/905 regions as priorities for hospital capital investment.

    A barrage of statistics were cited to back alliance claims that suburban communities are simultaneously experiencing hospital funding shortfalls and rapid population growth.

    "On an age-weighted basis, our growth is far more than the rest of Ontario. The GTA/905 communities continue to grow at double the provincial rate," noted Tariq Asmi, the alliance's executive director. "But do we see growth in health funding? No, there's a huge gap."

    Alliance representatives said their hospitals only received $37.6 million out of $307 million provided in new hospital operating funding for 2004-05. They say GTA/905 hospitals should have received $89.6 million.

    Hospital funding gap in Halton estimated at $111 million

    Asmi said the funding gap in Halton was more than $111 million for hospitals and more than $154 million for total health care services.

    Alliance research showed the average actual cost per weighted case for GTA/905 hospitals was $3,391, compared to $4,860 for Toronto teaching hospitals and $4,187 for all Toronto hospitals.

    "We are lower cost providers of health care and it's closer to home," said Asmi.

    He noted GTA/905 hospitals have an average bed occupancy of 94 per cent, compared to 83 per cent in Toronto and 77 per cent across the province.

    "We cannot afford to have a disaster in this area," said Asmi.