July 21 , 2006, The Brantford Expositor

BGH gets high marks for its financial performance

Susan Gamble
Expositor Staff/ Brantford

The latest report on Ontario's hospitals shows the Brantford General Hospital is excelling in financial stewardship and maintaining the high provincial average of other acute care facilities.

Overall, the report shows Ontario hospitals are getting better at co-ordinating patient care with other facilities and community based health-care providers.

Hospital Report 2006 was released by the McGuinty government on Wednesday. "The report findings lead to the sharing of best practices among hospitals," said Health minister George Smitherman in a news release. "That benefits all patients across the province."

Of the province's 123 acute care hospitals, 95 of them voluntarily participated in the study, which looked at patient care, patient satisfaction, dealing with change, financial performance and condition, and women's health.

'Complex Business'

In each category, the top-performing hospitals are recognized. Brantford's hospital was named as one of 13 high-performers in financial performance.

"That reflects the stewardship and hard work of the board," said BGH spokesman Gary Chalk. "In the complex business of hospitals these days, to be identified as one of 13 is good."

In the other areas, the hospital fell within the average of all other facilities. Examined against other community hospitals, BGH was lower than the statistical average in the use of standardzed protocols and community involvement and co-ordination of care.

It was lower by 24 percentage points than the statistical average for a healthy work environment.

But BGH was higher than that average for management and support of human resources and the use of data for decision-making.

The facility was almost exactly on the statistical average for all points of patient satisfaction.

Chalk said the hospital will be carefully examing the report to find more areas to improve.

Hospital Report 2006: Acute Care is available on the Internet at http://www.health.gov.on.ca or by calling 1-800-268-1154.