Your gift, our responsibility
A message from the PRHC Foundation President & CEO
Dear Friend,
At the PRHC Foundation, the trust of our donors is paramount. We are committed to transparency and accountability in everything we do. Effective management of the funds entrusted to us is a responsibility we take very seriously.
The PRHC Foundation exists to support the work of our hospital. We are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the staff, physicians and volunteers of PRHC as they undertake the difficult challenges ahead.
Over the past several days, Foundation staff have spoken to many donors about the Peer Review Report, and the Foundation’s efforts in the context of the hospital’s financial situation.
We hope the following information provides clarification about our role, and the ways in which we are dedicated to ensuring your gifts are used responsibly to support great patient care at our hospital.
Q. What is the Foundation’s response to the Peer Review Report?
A. It is difficult to hear criticisms of the organization we raise funds for. However, we have heard from our donors that they want to see the hospital’s financial challenges addressed. Our work with donors to support investments in equipment will continue as PRHC implements their Hospital Improvement Plan over the coming months.
Q. What is the Foundation’s response to the Peer Review comment that the hospital is too big?
A. This comment has taken many of us by surprise, but there are a couple of factors the Peer Review team points to in the report. It’s our understanding that in the years since the new hospital was being planned more than a decade ago, new procedures and medical technology have impacted the way hospitals provide patient care and the space required to deliver it. For example, in the past gall bladder surgery required a patient to stay in hospital for a minimum of three days. Today, advancements in laparoscopic techniques allow surgeons to perform the procedure on an out-patient basis. Therefore, fewer beds may be needed.
While population growth estimates may not have been realized in the region yet, PRHC was built not only for today, but for tomorrow. The LHIN’s Clinical Services Plan released in 2009 designated PRHC to become a regional centre for excellence in Cardiac/Vascular care, pediatrics and Mental Health. It’s only because of the new building that PRHC has the infrastructure in place to realize this regional mandate that will bring new programming, services and specialists to the community. Peer Review team member Dr. Isser Dubinsky has stated that once PRHC has resolved its financial challenges, there is room to grow and that the hospital already has the skill set and infrastructure in place to support a regional role.
Q. How does the Foundation manage donations?
A. The PRHC Foundation supports great care at our hospital by funding capital equipment, and staff education and training. No donations are directed towards hospital operations or the budget deficit. We have an independent Board of Directors and our financial statements are audited annually. We adhere strictly to all Canada Revenue Agency requirements for charities and uphold the Donor Bill of Rights, ensuring all donations are spent as the donor specifies or directs.
Your donations are held in trust until the hospital makes an application to purchase a piece of medical equipment. Once the Foundation Board approves that request, the hospital purchases the equipment and is reimbursed after we have been provided with the supplier’s invoice. If a donation is made to support patient care in a specific department, this money is kept in a dedicated fund, ensuring it is administered according to the donor’s wishes. This allows us to ensure accountability to you, our donors.
Q. How does the Foundation assess the Hospital’s equipment funding requests?
A. For the last nine years, the hospitals capital request process required each department to identify their most important equipment and technology needs on an annual basis. The request is submitted with rationale ranked against clearly defined criteria including (but not limited to) how the capital item would impact patient care, expand services and/or improve safety.
The hospital’s leadership including Administrative and Medical Directors, then reviews the list and prioritizes the most urgent or highest priority needs across the hospital. The ranked list is then submitted to the Foundation.
The Foundation then requires a further step, as a formal, comprehensive form must accompany this request to provide greater detail on the benefits of this equipment to patient care. It includes a full description of what the equipment does, assurance that all operational factors have been considered, the cost of the equipment, and why it’s needed now. The department head or physician presents this information to the Foundation Board of Directors, who determine whether or not to undertake fundraising for this piece of equipment.
Q. Why should I support the Foundation during this period of financial uncertainty at the hospital?
A. When you make a gift to the PRHC Foundation you are helping patients get the very best care during some of the most difficult times in their lives. Every day, people of all ages and all walks of life are treated using medical equipment purchased by your donations.
Private donations help buy equipment like the latest scanners to detect smaller tumours or portable ultrasounds that help physicians make rapid diagnoses in life-threatening situations. Your donations will continue to make a difference in the care that our loved ones receive.
Q. Would the Foundation still need to fundraise if the hospital was not in a deficit situation?
A. Yes we would. All hospitals, regardless of their financial situation, have Foundations to raise community donations to purchase medical equipment. As the hospital returns to a balanced position any surplus after debt repayment would be reinvested in improvements to front-line care, expanding electronic medical records and enhancing services.
Medical technology continues to advance at an ever-accelerating rate and it is only through continued support from our community that we can improve patient care, reduce wait times and offer better, safer treatments.
At the PRHC Foundation, the support of our donors is never taken for granted. Your ability to impact patient care is the reason we are here. This hospital was built through the generosity of people like you. With that knowledge, we have no doubt that our patients can count on the best possible care for years to come.
I hope that this addresses any questions you might have or been asked about the PRHC Foundation. However, if you wish to discuss the issues further or know of anyone in the community with questions, please have them contact me at (705) 876-5000 or by email at jdavis@prhc.on.ca.
Sincerely,
Julie Davis
President & CEO
Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation
By deciding to make a gift – you make a difference.
Every day, life and death stories are played out at our hospital. Every day, someone’s life is changed for better or worse or they may receive news of an uncertain future. The staff and physicians at PRHC are kind, compassionate and experts in the care they deliver. I don’t want them to be limited in any way by the equipment and technology they have to work with. Your gift, combined with those of our other generous donors, allows us to give our ‘angels in disguise’ the tools they need to ease pain, restore health and the happiest ending of all – to save lives.
It is only through the combination of public funds and private donations that our hospital will continue be well-equipped to serve you, your family and your friends when you need it most.
Thank you for your generosity and support.
Our Mission:
To inspire support throughout our region to provide the professionals at PRHC with the tools they need to ease pain, restore health and save lives
Our Vision:
To transform care at PRHC
Our Commitments:
To be Passionate, Personal and Authentic
As staff and volunteers we truly embrace our mission and love to spread the joy of giving. We strive to make each interaction personal and meaningful.
To be Trustworthy and Accountable
We seek to earn the trust of our donors, the public, PRHC and each other by being transparent and truthful, respecting confidentiality and adhering at all times to the highest fundraising professional standards.
To be Resourceful and Adaptable
We are innovative in how we accomplish our goals, cost effective in our operations and are flexible to embrace opportunities as they arise.
To be Highly Professional
We take pride in the work we do. We recognize that the way we work with the public, our donors and volunteers reflects upon our team and the Health Centre, and we are committed to professionalism and high quality.
To act Collaboratively and as a Team
We achieve success only through the combined efforts of many. We seek partnerships in the community and build on the skills and strengths of staff and volunteers to accomplish our goals.
Donors make the difference
As medicine advances, so does our opportunity to deliver better patient care. While new technology offers significant promise, it comes at a high price.
While the Government plays a critical role in hospital funding - financing up to 85% of PRHC’s operating budget - government funding simply isn’t sufficient to meet the escalating need for state-of-the-art technology and new medical equipment.
PRHC relies on donor support to ensure its talented staff & physicians can continue to provide quality healthcare in our community. In recent years, our donors have funded more than 50% of the new equipment bought by PRHC.