In Brief: Ombudsman report on LHIN expected soon / Emergency Physician calls for standards in wake of Niagara death / RNAO drafts election priorities / More…

Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin has completed his investigation into the process used in two key Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) decisions. The ombudsman received 37 complaints about the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN from residents, community associations, health care professionals and a Hamilton-area MPP. The complaints stemmed from decisions to reorganize services at the Niagara Health System and at Hamilton Health Sciences. The Ombudsman’s office has told the media that the findings will be released in the next several weeks. … Dr. Alan Drummond, speaking on behalf of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, said national standards are needed in planning emergency care. “Let’s decide what we as a nation are going to accept in terms of time and and distance to effective emergency care, because that doesn’t seem to be defined by anybody,” he told the Canadian Press. Drummond was responding to the recent death of an 18-year-old Niagara woman who died before being able to reach the Welland Hospital. Her family believe her life may have been saved had she been able to go to the former Fort Erie hospital. Fort Erie’s ER was closed due to budget restraints last year. “Why don’t we take this opportunity of this tragic death to say, ‘look, let’s re-dedicate ourselves to planning effectively. Let’s not make health care decisions based on budgetary constraints within regional health authorities.” BC is the only province in Canada that has developed such standards. The province has stipulated that 98 per cent of residents in a region should be able to get access to an emergency department within an hour. … The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario has released a paper challenging the provincial political parties to adopt platforms that strengthen the health care system and improve communities. Creating Vibrant Communities: RNAO’s Challenge to Ontario’s Political Parties outlines key policy priorities for the nursing association. Copies can be downloaded from the RNAO web site at http://www.rnao.org/ …Dan Carriere, CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre, will head up the Peer Review of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. Carriere has been CEO of the Newmarket based hospital for 16 years. The final report is expected at the end of April. … Four hospitals in the Central East LHIN are getting additional money through the $10 million provincial growth fund. The fund is intended to make adjustments to the budget of hospitals situated in regions with high population growth. Lakeridge Health is receiving $1,054,400 – enough the pull the hospital out of deficit for the first time since amalgamation. Rouge Valley will receive an additional $236,400, Northumberland Hills will get $63,800, and Campbellford Memorial will get $55,400.