Community is the heart of Kincardine hospital foundation, says board

Did you know that the provincial government does not fund any medical equipment in the Kincardine hospital?

Did you know that without the continued support of the community, the Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation would not have been able to purchase millions of dollars' worth of medical equipment for the Kincardine hospital over the years?

Not everyone is aware that the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care does not fund medical equipment for hospitals.

"We need our hospital in our community," says the Kincardine hospital foundation board of directors, "and we need to equip it with the best state-of-the-art equipment to continue to provide the best care for you and your family.

"Our lives could literally change in a heartbeat from an illness or an accident. Imagine if we did not have a hospital in Kincardine and we had to travel out-of-town for simple things, i.e. blood tests, ultrasound, X-ray, minor surgery. Travelling out-of-town to have tests done or to see a loved one in the hospital, might not be a possibility due to weather conditions or a lack of transportation.

"In order to keep our hospital up-to-date with the latest technology, we need to constantly raise funds. Unfortunately, the ministry does not fund hospitals to help acquire medical equipment. Each year, the foundation receives a list of priority medical equipment needs from the South Bruce Grey Health Centre (which includes the Kincardine hospital site). The prioritized list is very long and not every piece of equipment is chosen, but the foundation makes every effort to make sure the equipment that is desperately needed, is purchased."

“Many people wonder what exactly the government pays for in their hospitals and what they don’t pay for," says Paul Rosebush, president and chief executive officer of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre. "The government generally funds approximately 85 per cent of a hospital's operational budget with the remaining revenue derived from payments through parking, and preferred and semi-private hospital accommodation.

"The largest portion of a hospital's budget is dedicated to human resources such as 'staffing.' Approximately 70 per cent of a hospital's budget is applied to this key cost-centre. Physicians are not hospital staff and are paid directly by the ministry through transfer payments to the hospital for their work in hospitals."

Rosebush emphasizes that the government does not fund hospital medical equipment but it does fund capital construction projects that it approves through a cost-sharing formula between the ministry and local community donations.

"The ministry will generally pay 90 per cent of the allowable capital costs of a project with the remainder to be provided by the hospital," says Rosebush. "Because of this, foundations were formed to meet these fund-raising goals. Otherwise, project costs would come out of the hospital’s operational budget.

"The same process applies to capital equipment otherwise known as hospital equipment. Capital equipment is 100-per-cent funded by hospitals. The province does not pay for capital equipment. With millions of dollars of new medical equipment required every year, to maintain or acquire needed equipment and technology, depending on the size of the hospital, fund-raising and foundations have become critical to the success of any hospital corporation.

"Foundations have their own boards of directors and work closely with the hospital to help it meet the health care needs of the community. At the South Bruce Grey Health Centre, we praise the work of our foundations for the tremendous support they provide to the hospitals every single day."

[The South Bruce Grey Health Centre includes hospitals in Kincardine, Walkerton, Chesley and Durham; all equipment purchased for the Kincardine hospital, remains at the Kincardine hospital.]

"You, as a community, are the heart of our foundation," states the Kincardine hospital foundation board. "Without you, we would not exist. When you donate, you are contributing to better health care in your community, and any contribution to the foundation is an investment in you and your community’s health.

"On behalf of all of the staff, volunteers and patients at our hospital, and anybody who may require health care in the future, the foundation offers its sincere gratitude for your continued support."