With the recent release of the Sun Country Health Region’s annual report, further information was revealed regarding improvement projects undertaken during the past year which included a new long term placement process that has reduced wait times for screening for an initial long term care bed and also for assessment for obtaining a long term care bed in a preferred community.
The primary care clinics in the region have focused on expansion of chronic disease management programs, integration of mental health and addiction programs, and improving the public’s access to the primary health care programs and services. The clinics were located in Estevan, Lampman, Carlyle, Coronach, Kipling, Maryfield, Bengough, Radville, Midale and Weyburn.
During the past year, four new members were appointed to the Sun Country Regional Health Authority, bringing the board membership back up to nine. The newest members are Murray Setrum from Coronach, Marilynn Garnier from Redvers, Brian Romaniuk representing Carlyle and district and Leigh Rosengren from Midale.
In total 44 health programs for the nearly 60,000 people in the region were provided by Sun Country in 2015-16 fiscal year.
The regional census figures indicate that 42 per cent of the SCHR’s population resides either in Estevan or Weyburn with 30 per cent living in towns while the remaining 28 per cent either live in villages, rural municipalities or First Nations reserves.
Sun Country Health region spent $153 million in providing health services with $139 million of that sum coming from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health while $11 million came through patient and client fees and another $519,000 arriving through the payment of out-of-province fees.
