Highlights of the Board of Directors public meeting
Edmundston, December 5, 2013 – The regular public meeting of the Board of Directors of Vitalité Health Network was held on Thursday, December 5, 2013, in Edmundston.
Priority given to quality care and services
Surveys on the experience of inpatients
President and CEO Rino Volpé presented the key results of the most recent monthly inpatient satisfaction survey. “It is crucially important for us to measure our patients’ satisfaction on an ongoing basis so that we have the information we need to implement initiatives leading to continuous improvement of the quality of our services,” Volpé stated.
The results show that the Network obtains very high levels of satisfaction (90% and over) for 17 of the 20 indicators, especially for politeness and courtesy of staff (99%), respect for privacy (98%), and cleanliness of rooms (94%). The overall levels of satisfaction are lower for some indicators, including meals (72%) and peace and quiet (85%). The President and CEO also noted that a few negative comments had been made related to meals, noise on the units, cleanliness of bedding and rooms, and delays in seeing professionals. “We are going to begin measuring patient satisfaction in other sectors shortly, including ambulatory care, emergency services, and therapeutic services,” Volpé indicated.
Clinical Services Advisory Committee
Volpé also informed the Board of Directors that the Clinical Services Advisory Committee had completed its priority list for new physician positions in 2014-2015.
Better understanding the needs of the population
The President and CEO explained that, in light of the organization’s ongoing focus on offering quality services, four health care service needs assessments had been announced in November, namely for the Moncton, Bathurst, Campbellton, and Edmundston regions. These assessments will be conducted by the community advisory committees established in each of the regions. Reports to the communities will be presented in the spring of 2014.
For a better performing organization
Financial and operational performance – 6.2% reduction in operating expenditures
The Network’s operating expenditures (before salaries and benefits) for the first seven months of the current fiscal year (from April to October, 2013) had seen a 6.2% reduction compared to the same period last year. To October 31, the Network had achieved an operating surplus of $9.8 million (before physicians’ salaries). This surplus was primarily due to a 3.4% reduction in the number of full-time equivalents (FTEs), a 15.2% reduction in overtime, a 2.2% reduction in sick leave, and a reduction in operating expenditures compared to the same period last year.
Based on the projections for the coming months, especially in relation to activity volumes, and based on the level of funding provided, the Network expects to close out fiscal year 2013-2014 with a surplus in the order of $2.2 million.
Continuous performance improvement
According to the President and CEO, implementation of the Network’s three-year plan targeting a 2% annual improvement in performance and productivity is unfolding as planned. “We have formed 36 work teams of health professionals who have identified opportunities for improvement across the Network. Implementation has already begun for some of the initiatives and is planned for others,” he explained. For fiscal year 2013-2014, the performance improvements being implemented will save nearly $20 million, including $8.1 million in the administrative and support sectors alone.
New Brunswick Health Council 2013 survey on the patient care experience
The public meeting provided an opportunity for the President and CEO to highlight the key results to emerge from the New Brunswick Health Council’s second survey on the patient care experience. Among the main conclusions, he emphasized that the Network’s results exceed the provincial average in 12 of the 15 indicators included in the survey. “Generally speaking, our results from the 2013 survey are higher than those from the 2010 survey for 13 of the 15 comparable indicators.”
The main improvements had been seen in communication with nurses (74.6%), a 4.1% improvement over the previous survey, and communication about medicines (56.0%), an improvement of 4.6%. The sectors with the greatest potential for improvement include care transition following discharge from hospital (44.4%), quiet at night (48.3%), and cleanliness (56.4%). As well, even in some sectors where the Network had improved, the results obtained still remain too low. The situation is even truer for the sectors where the Network obtains less positive results. “We realize that much remains to be done to improve the quality of our care and services,” Volpé explained. The Network plans to identify the measures needed and to implement action plans that will improve the results obtained in the targeted sectors.
Major infrastructure announcements and projects
The President and CEO reviewed the Network’s most recent announcements related to infrastructure and major equipment projects. He highlighted the fact that these projects are being carried out within the approved budget. “The major infrastructure projects under way total over $500 million, and investments continue being made to maintain our facilities and keep our equipment up-to-date,” he stated.
The Network has three major infrastructure projects in progress, namely the expansion of the Surgical Suite at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre, the expansion of the Chaleur Regional Hospital (care units and ambulatory clinics), and the construction of a new facility for the Restigouche Hospital Centre.
Tribute and recognition
The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Paul Couturier, paid tribute to Sister Gaëtane Soucy, former member of the Board of Directors, who had recently passed away. He highlighted her qualities as well as her long-term involvement in the health care sector, especially as related to spiritual and religious care. “On behalf of the Board of Directors and management of Vitalité Health Network, I wish to express our most sincere condolences to Sister Soucy’s family and loved ones as well as to the nuns of her congregation,” he said.
On another topic, the Chairman congratulated Pierre Verret, Chief Operating Officer of the Northwest Zone, who had recently received the title of “Fellow” from the Society of Management Accountants of Canada. This title is a prestigious and honorary national distinction granted to management accountants who, through the remarkable work that they perform, advance the profession of management accounting and serve as a model to others. “This title reflects excellence in management accounting as well as commitment to the Society of Management Accountants of Canada and the community. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I congratulate Pierre Verret for this distinction,” Couturier concluded.
