York hospitals feeling funding gap
Metroland - York Division
Thursday, May 5, 2005
Page: 01
Section: Stouffville Sun - News, Newmarket/Aurora Era Banner, Richmond Hill Liberal, Vaughan Citizen, 
Byline: Chris Traber, Staff Writer
Column: A
Dateline: Article
Source:

York residents are being shortchanged to the tune of $554 each in hospital funding, according to a report released Tuesday by the GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance.

The average Ontarian gets $1,183 a year in total health care funding, excluding OHIP payments and contributions to drug plans. York Region residents get $629.

The State of Hospital Care in the GTA/905, 2005, the first comprehensive accountability report on the status of hospital care in the regions surrounding Toronto, states York Region gets $251 million less in hospital funding than the provincial average. The shortfall is $544 million across the GTA.

"That represents $212 less in (GTA/905) per capita funding than what other regions of the province receive to deliver hospital care," alliance executive director Tariq Asmi said. "For York residents, on a per capita basis, the gap is $554. We are now feeling the effects of this historic underfunding."

On average, each York resident gets $366 a year for hospital acute care, compared to a provincial average of $704.

In contrast, York taxpayers contribute $169 million in health care premiums to Ontario's $2.2-billion health budget.

"The numbers are unbalanced," Southlake Regional Health Centre president Dan Carriere said. "My thinking is that this isn't something that relates to any particular government. Rather, it's something that's been building for the past 15 years or so.

"We've been cost efficient and it's not a matter of trying to get ahead of the curve. Rather, it's an issue of getting closer to the provincial average. That would mean significant improvements in health care."

The report, gleaned from data provided by member organizations, including York's three hospitals, the Ministry of Health and Ontario Hospital Association, identified two glaring concerns.

It suggests not all GTA/905 residents are able to access hospital care close to home. It also warns continued underfunding will begin to compromise the quality and timeliness of care in GTA hospitals.

According to the report, 905 hospitals have an occupancy rate of almost 94 per cent, compared to 77 per cent provincially and 83 per cent in Toronto. Wait times for cancer and heart and stroke care, cataract surgery and joint replacements are longer than the provincial average. Emergency wait times, at 3.9 hours, match the provincial average.

Patient satisfaction scores for overall hospital care are slightly lower than the provincial average and satisfaction with emergency department care is lower still.

At the same time, hospitals in the GTA/905 spend 8 per cent less on administration than the average provincial hospital.

York's hospital administrators say the report reflects their challenges.

"We're very supportive," York Central Hospital president Bruce Harber said. "It's quite well done and does represent a good argument for equity from the perspective of need for capital expansion.

"The report revisits the whole growth issue and care closer to home and the fact we're an efficient group of hospitals."

Markham Stouffville Hospital senior vice-president Lorne Zon is also on board.

"Markham Stouffville Hospital supports the efforts of the GTA/905 Alliance report as we are one of the hospitals facing significant pressures and space demands to meet the needs of our growing community," he said.