Hospical CEO

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News Release: January 24, 2007

Cambridge Memorial working to improve ER quality - Hospital to work with partners to implement recommendations

(Cambridge, ON) – Cambridge Memorial Hospital President & Chief Executive Officer, Julia Dumanian, today committed the hospital’s resources to resolving the issues raised in the Ontario’s government report on the situation in Emergency Rooms in Southwestern Ontario. This report, headed by the former CEO of the University Health Network, Tom Closson, reviewed the pressures and responses in ERs in Waterloo region.

“We are pleased to see the quality of service we provide to the 135,000 people of our community reflected in this report,” said Ms. Dumanian. “The excellence of our nursing staff as well as our innovative responses to the needs of older patients and those with mental health concerns were well-documented by Mr. Closson and his team.”

“The staff of Cambridge Memorial have long recognized that there are pressures on our ERs so it is gratifying to see them identified in this report and acknowledged as issues facing many hospitals in our region and throughout Ontario,” said Dr. Cathy Morris, Chief of Staff.

The provincial report examined the ER situation in Waterloo region against the backdrop of the situation in hospitals throughout the province. It contains 12 recommendations for Cambridge Memorial Hospital. “We intend to re-evaluate workflows in our ER and work with the newly-initiated Local Health Integration Network and our Community Care Access Centres and community health care providers to make care more seamless,” said Dennis Watson, Vice-Chair of the hospital’s Board of Governors. “Equally as important, we intend to work closely with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to resolve impediments – fiscal and human resources, to needed improvements,” he concluded.

About Cambridge Memorial Hospital
Founded in 1888, the Hospital helps 1,500 women give birth each year, replaces 555 hips and knees to enable people to become more mobile, screens 2,800 women a year for breast cancer and performs more than 76,000 diagnostic tests and almost 12,000 essential surgeries. It manages to do this with a budget of under $100 million and less than 1,200 staff. The hospital’s ER sees 40,000 patients a year.


NEED MORE INFORMATION?
CONTACT:

Chris Sellers
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications

Tel: 519-621-2333 ext. 2483
Fax: 519-740-4938
E-mail: csellers@cmh.org

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