|
Quebec
Wait times longer
in metro area
QUEBEC CITY —
Wait times in Montreal are significantly higher than
in the rest of the province, according to a recent survey
of the province's emergency rooms by Gesca, a Quebec
newspaper chain. Hôtel-Dieu Hospital in downtown
Montreal was found to have an average wait time of 28.2
hours compared with 15.9 hours outside Montreal for
an emergency room bed. The overall situation has improved
since the Liberals came to power, insists Health Minister
Philippe Couillard. But he urges hospital emergency
departments to work more closely with local and private
clinics to abate the burden. DB
EHR
on its way
MONTREAL —
Quebec should have a computerized health system up and
running by 2011, said Premier Jean Charest. Electronic
health records will be created for every patient and
include digitized test results like diagnostic scans.
The cost, according to the premier, will be $547 million
with $303 million coming from Canada Health Infoway.
Among the benefits, according to the Liberals, will
be the creation of circa 6,300 jobs, and better access
and quality of healthcare for Quebecers. DB
New
Brunswick
EMT service assured
in rural NB
BATHURST — People in rural New Brunswick will soon
have ambulance service 24-7, according to a recent CBC
report. Health Minister Brad Green says the new provincial
service will substantially improve response times and
healthcare quality in the province. At present, New
Brunswick has an unwieldy network of contracts with
ambulance operators across various districts, and many
laud this move as a way to standardize care in the province.
SB
Nova
Scotia
Face-lift for Purdy
facility
DARTMOUTH —
The 50-year-old Purdy mental health facility in Dartmouth
will be demolished as the government moves forward with
a $6.7-million redevelopment plan, announced Health
Minister Chris d'Entremont. Four bungalow style buildings,
each with 10 bedrooms in a home-like setting, will be
constructed starting this fall. "The province is making
good on its promise to enhance mental health services
in Nova Scotia," Mr d'Entrement told the Chronicle
Herald. PL
|
Prince
Edward Island
Hospital merger
questioned
ALBERTON —
Alberton residents want to keep their local hospital,
rather than build a single regional superhospital in
West Prince. At two previous provincially sponsored
meetings, crowds were split on the proposal for a single
regional hospital. At a more recent meeting, Alberton
Mayor Pat Murphy roused 200 citizens to raucous applause
in support of saving the local facility. Others however,
suggested the town should focus its resources on recruitment.
The committee studying the issue painted a bleak picture
of the current state of healthcare, saying a new hospital
would solve persistent doctor and nursing shortages.
SB
Newfoundland
Restrictions placed
on OTC meds
ST JOHN'S —
Convenience stores in Newfoundland and Labrador
are no longer allowed to sell medications containing
pseudoephedrine. The province's drug schedules were
amended in mid-April to only permit pharmacies to sell
pseudoephedrine products because of concerns about its
use in the making of crystal meth. The new regulations
also stipulate that single-ingredient pseudoephedrine
products must be kept behind pharmacy counters while
combination cold and allergy remedies containing pseudoephedrine
may be sold from pharmacy shelves. DSS
The
North
No work for nurses
in North
WHITEHORSE, YK
— Yukon nurses are baffled by recent comments
by Health and Social Services Minister David Cathers
that there's a nursing shortage. One of those nurses
is the daughter of Education and Justice Minister John
Edzerza, Crystal. Ms Edzerza can't understand how there
can be such a shortage when she and fellow nurses can't
even land part-time work. Meanwhile they're being deluged
with work offers from other parts of North America.
Regardless of Ms Edzerza's claims, the province is going
ahead with a $12.7 million five-year investment into
recruitment. HY
Contributors: Hector Andrews, Simon
Biggar, Donna Byers, Lance Davies, Geoff Everett, Thane
Jenkins, Paige Lee, Julie J Mercier, Deana Stokes Sullivan,
and Henrietta Yan.
|
