Sunrise Health Region interim CEO Suann Laurent recently spoke with Yorkton This Week about some of the implications of the $203 million budget passed by the Regional Health Authority on June 1.
Fourteen strategic investments based on the health region's strategic plan and directives from the Ministry of Health are included among the budget's new spending.
The largest of these, at $1.05 million, is the continuance of the surgical initiatives that began across the province last year. The primary goal of this investment is to reduce surgical wait times for patients.
"The target is that nobody will be waiting for surgery for more than 12 months at the end of this fiscal year, and we're already at about 96 percent of reaching that target," said Laurent.
Also included in the program is funding for itinerant orthopedic services, which began at the Yorkton hospital on June 1. New orthopedic surgeon Dr. Alshrif met with 29 patients at a clinic held that day.
"It's been very well received," Laurent said.
Other significant investments include Dictaphone software for use by physicians making reports, which will take some pressure off of the region's staff transcriptionists; and the hiring of a security officer for the Yorkton campus as a response to some security concerns there.
Families First, a parental support program that serves the citizens of Kamsack and area, is another recipient of increased funding.
"We have to make sure that we're investing to meet the needs of our entire population," said Laurent.
Part of the money to cover these new expenses will need to be freed up from elsewhere in the budget through labor cost reductions. To date, the health region has failed to meet its provincially mandated goals in reducing sick leave and overtime expenses, but Laurent says the administration intends to change that.
"Over the years, we have been trending downward, which is favorable, but we are not in line with where we need to be provincially. So that's going to be a big focus for us as a region, because we need to meet those efficiency targets."
Much of the region's strategy for improving attendance involves engaging in discussion with employees, determining the reasons for low attendance, and identifying solutions.
