Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) was pleased to receive news of the announcement this week from Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, indicating that we will be among a number of hospitals across Ontario to receive one-time funding support for additional inpatient beds.

The additional funding provided to PRHC, in the amount of $1.37 million, will help to support the opening of 20 additional beds throughout the traditional “surge season” this year, from December 2017 through to March 2018. Earlier this month, PRHC announced our intention to open 24 new, unfunded inpatient beds on a year-round basis to support record numbers of patients currently coming through the hospital. This funding will help to offset the costs associated with opening and staffing this new unit for the next several months.

In 2016/17, the Health Centre saw 83,000 people come through our Emergency Department (ED). In 2017/18, based on our volumes from April to September, we are expecting to see 90,000 visits by the end of the year.

“Any additional funding to support patient care is always welcome news,” said Dr. Peter McLaughlin, PRHC President & CEO. “I would like to thank the Minister of Health and Long Term Care and the Central East LHIN for this investment into the patients and healthcare providers of Peterborough Regional Health Centre. This is a timely response to an issue we are seeing at PRHC and in hospitals across the province. Our goal is to continue providing safe, quality care for increasing numbers of patients, and this additional investment will help to support that level of care throughout the organization.”

PRHC routinely has approximately 80 patients designated Alternative Level of Care (ALC) in hospital beds who no longer require hospitalization, but who remain in hospital care because there is no safe, suitable alternative available for them in the community.

Earlier this year, PRHC and Peterborough Housing Corporation (PHC) jointly announced the opening of a new seniors’ supportive housing development in the community. These units will provide safe, comfortable and affordable housing options for seniors in both the community and the hospital, allowing them to maintain their independence while receiving the necessary level of daily care. The housing initiative, jointly funded by PHC and the Central East LHIN, is expected to be ready for residents in 2018/19.

“We continue to work with our many partners in the community and region to develop innovative ways of addressing the challenges we are seeing across the healthcare system in Ontario,” added Dr. McLaughlin. “The Seniors’ Supportive Housing project is just one way in which we are collaborating with these partners to ensure patients are receiving the appropriate level of care to meet their needs. The availability of this housing will not only help us to better meet the living needs of these individuals – it will also allow PRHC to dedicate more beds and resources to providing acute, hospital-level care for our patients, at a crucial time when those resources are in greater demand than ever before.”

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For further information, please contact:
Michelene Ough
Director, Communications
Peterborough Regional Health Centre
705-743-2121 x. 4259
mough@prhc.on.ca