The letter from Norbert Kovalovszky, (Carlyle Observer, December 14th, 2012) asks a number of questions of Sun Country Health Region. I am pleased that Mr. Kovalovszky is so forthright about his concerns and I am pleased to answer them on behalf of the Region.
Q. Why waste taxpayer dollars by paying Kipling Health Centre staff when the centre is closed 12 hours a day?
A. Staff at the health centre continue to provide various treatments such as IV therapy, dressing changes, diabetes and home care programs, mental health services, rehabilitation and dietitian services to their clients during the day. Diagnostic services through the lab and x-ray departments continue to be offered as patients do continue to utilize our local services and we encourage this. We need staff for those services.
In the meantime, we have also redeployed some staff to work at Willowdale Lodge where possible so Willowdale staff can take vacation as requested. Many of the staff at the hospital are also taking their vacation time whenever possible.
Since it is crucial to maintain the staff with the plan to reopen the health centre as soon as possible, we continue to use every effort to utilize them as close to their home community as possible. We expect to need them again in Kipling in the near future and we don't want to lose them. There is no waste of taxpayer dollars. Recruitment of staff continues to be an expensive challenge and we want to retain those already in our community.
Q. Kipling ambulances now deliver patients to Broadview, which is in another health region altogether.
A. Health Region boundaries were created for administrative purposes, not to limit access to care or patient choice. Residents of Saskatchewan can chose to obtain services at any hospital in the province and any province in Canada. Ambulances transfer patients to emergency medical care across health region boundaries whenever necessary to ensure the patient receives the care required.
Q. Why build a new health care facility when we don't have doctors for the existing one?
A. Sun Country Health Region is optimistic that Kipling will have a complement of doctors sufficient to keep the emergency department open soon and once the new facility has been constructed. We are actively working with Saskdocs, the Ministry of Health and the local community, including the Kipling District Health Care Foundation to ensure that is the case.
Q. Willowdale Lodge will be vacant once the new integrated facility is constructed.
A. Willowdale Lodge will be used as a Community Health Building to house many of the out-patient and chronic care programs now provided out of the basement of Kipling Health Centre and rented space in the community.
Q. Why not recruit doctors from Hungary?
A. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan this year opened the doors to recruit doctors from all countries in the world. Prior to this happening, we were required to recruit from a list of seven specific countries. We would be very happy to have doctors from Hungary apply and we welcome the name and address of any doctor from any country with which SCHR residents are familiar.
I agree this is a beautiful country, with many freedoms and services. One of those freedoms is the freedom of a doctor to choose the community in which he/she wants to practice. We can recruit them to the communities we love, and welcome them when they arrive but, ultimately, we need to focus on what will keep them in our community, and they decide when to stay or go.
We are optimistic that changes this year to the recruitment process will mean we can re-open Kipling Health Centre. We're working toward that end and we need to have the community's support to make it happen.
Thank you.
Marga Cugnet
CEO, Sun Country
Health Region
