Dear Editor:
As we enter a new year, we want you to remember some of the facts that affect our healthcare.
The following information is from a report published in 2011.
• More than 18,500 hospital beds have been closed since 1990.
• Ontario’s hospital occupancy rate is 97.8 per cent, compared to average occupancy rates of 75 per cent in the OECD and 68.2 per cent in the United States.
• Ontario has the fewest hospital beds per person of any province in Canada.
• Ontario is fourth last in the OECD in numbers of hospital beds per person, followed only by Turkey, Chile and Mexico. In fact, Ontario has half the number of hospital beds per person compared to the OECD average. (Ontario is at 2.5 hospital beds per 1,000 population. OECD average excluding Canada is 5.2 hospital beds per 1,000 population.)
• Hospital bed cuts have not been offset by increases in care outside of hospitals. Approximately 10,000 people are on wait lists for home care in Ontario and more than 23,000 people are on wait lists for long term care homes.
• Alternate Level of Care patients number 4,093 across Ontario, but 911 of these patients are waiting for care in hospital. Of the 3,182 waiting for care outside of hospital, 2,271 are waiting for a space in a long term care home and 196 are waiting for home care. Even if all Alternate Level of Care patients were discharged, Ontario would still have hospital occupancy rates far higher than other comparable jurisdictions.
The consequences of overcrowded hospitals include:
• Overcrowded emergency departments
• Cancelled surgeries
• Coercive tactics used to force patients out of hospital against their choice
• Inappropriate staffing ratios
• Increased hospital-acquired infections
• Poorer health outcomes and increased mortality rates
The Community Action Group (CAG) continues to be informed of all healthcare issues affecting Ontario and especially within the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA). It continues to be our mandate to make sure that the community understands what changes may be taking place at St. Marys Memorial Hospital and how these changes will impact our community. Vision 2013 states that the ERs in St. Marys and Seaforth will be changing to 16/7 coverage from 24/7 coverage. Nothing has been retracted from this document so it is important to continue to voice your opinion on this change. A number of acute care beds are to be changed to continuing care beds. It is also important to understand what this means for your hospital. Rehabilitation is to move to Seaforth Hospital which will mean a 45-km drive for anyone requiring these services or wanting to be with a loved one.
If you wish any further information concerning healthcare within the HPHA, please go on their website, attend an LAC or HPHA board meeting. Also, the CAG meets regularly and anyone is welcome to attend a meeting. You may also contact Randy Pettapiece, MPP, who has been most interested in healthcare issues in our area.
Sincerely,

The Community Action Group
(Jen Henderson, Barb Fewster, Gayle Beattie, Chris West, Marg Edgar, Rita Jeninga, Jamie Hahn)