Civic
09-24-2009, 11:19 PM
Last year the City of Hamilton passed a resolution to encourage the province to pass legislation to elect hospital boards during the municipal election in 2010. The motion reflects the growing dissatisfaction with the direct administration of public hospitals by unelected officials. Is this an idea that needs to be more deeply considered?
Transparency sought
Council wants elected hospital boards
http://www.thespec.com/article/451956
ERIC MCGUINNESS With files from Naomi Powell, The Hamilton Spectator
October 17, 2008
Hamilton city council wants hospital boards to be elected.
Councillors voted Wednesday night to support a Town of Fort Erie resolution backing a proposal by MPP Peter Kormos to introduce legislation to elect hospital boards starting with the municipal election in 2010.
"The largest expenditure of taxpayer dollars is in health care," Kormos said yesterday. Hospitals spend the biggest single chunk of community health care, but "there's no accountability by the people who make decisions."
Hamilton council's move reflects unhappiness over Hamilton Health Sciences' decision to close the McMaster University Medical Centre emergency room to adults.
Councillor Brian McHattie, whose ward includes the McMaster hospital, proposed endorsing the Fort Erie resolution, complaining the Hamilton hospital restructuring was decided "by an unelected board of governors and supported by an appointed LHIN with zero public consultation."
When contentious issues arise, he said: "It's difficult to understand who you call, who you contact, can the public even attend their meetings."
He suggested it would be better to elect board members or have both elected and appointed members such as conservation authorities and police services boards.
Councillor Terry Whitehead, who strongly opposes devoting the McMaster ER to children only, said hospital boards choose their own members and "there's no transparency, no accountability. They make decisions in closed rooms with the public unaware and we need to open the doors."
Councillor Lloyd Ferguson sits on the board of Hamilton Health Sciences, but not as a representative of city council.
Kormos introduced similar legislation in 2002, calling for directors of hospital boards and Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) to be elected. It died at first reading at Queen's Park. He has yet to introduce his new private member's bill.
A Health Ministry spokesperson replied the LHIN directors are appointed by and accountable to a democratically elected government.
emcguinness@thespec.com
905-526-4650
-- With files from Naomi Powell, The Hamilton Spectator
Hospital governance 101
Hospital boards
Ontario hospitals are non-profit corporations governed by individual charters that determine the selection of hospital boards -- the bodies responsible for overall management of hospitals, quality of service and selection of CEOs.
Each charter lays out a method for appointing a board. Some boards are elected by "corporation members," local residents who pay a small fee for membership. Other boards accept applications that are evaluated and approved by existing board members. Board meetings are open to the public.
LHINs
Local Health Integration Networks, introduced in 2006, dole out provincial funding to hospitals and other health-care providers. They evaluate hospital performance and make recommendations to the Health Ministry about major construction projects to fund.
Their primary job is to integrate and avoid duplication among local hospitals, and home-care and long-term-care providers.
The 14 LHINs are governed by boards of up to nine that must hold at least four public meetings a year. They are appointed by the lieutenant governor.
Transparency sought
Council wants elected hospital boards
http://www.thespec.com/article/451956
ERIC MCGUINNESS With files from Naomi Powell, The Hamilton Spectator
October 17, 2008
Hamilton city council wants hospital boards to be elected.
Councillors voted Wednesday night to support a Town of Fort Erie resolution backing a proposal by MPP Peter Kormos to introduce legislation to elect hospital boards starting with the municipal election in 2010.
"The largest expenditure of taxpayer dollars is in health care," Kormos said yesterday. Hospitals spend the biggest single chunk of community health care, but "there's no accountability by the people who make decisions."
Hamilton council's move reflects unhappiness over Hamilton Health Sciences' decision to close the McMaster University Medical Centre emergency room to adults.
Councillor Brian McHattie, whose ward includes the McMaster hospital, proposed endorsing the Fort Erie resolution, complaining the Hamilton hospital restructuring was decided "by an unelected board of governors and supported by an appointed LHIN with zero public consultation."
When contentious issues arise, he said: "It's difficult to understand who you call, who you contact, can the public even attend their meetings."
He suggested it would be better to elect board members or have both elected and appointed members such as conservation authorities and police services boards.
Councillor Terry Whitehead, who strongly opposes devoting the McMaster ER to children only, said hospital boards choose their own members and "there's no transparency, no accountability. They make decisions in closed rooms with the public unaware and we need to open the doors."
Councillor Lloyd Ferguson sits on the board of Hamilton Health Sciences, but not as a representative of city council.
Kormos introduced similar legislation in 2002, calling for directors of hospital boards and Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) to be elected. It died at first reading at Queen's Park. He has yet to introduce his new private member's bill.
A Health Ministry spokesperson replied the LHIN directors are appointed by and accountable to a democratically elected government.
emcguinness@thespec.com
905-526-4650
-- With files from Naomi Powell, The Hamilton Spectator
Hospital governance 101
Hospital boards
Ontario hospitals are non-profit corporations governed by individual charters that determine the selection of hospital boards -- the bodies responsible for overall management of hospitals, quality of service and selection of CEOs.
Each charter lays out a method for appointing a board. Some boards are elected by "corporation members," local residents who pay a small fee for membership. Other boards accept applications that are evaluated and approved by existing board members. Board meetings are open to the public.
LHINs
Local Health Integration Networks, introduced in 2006, dole out provincial funding to hospitals and other health-care providers. They evaluate hospital performance and make recommendations to the Health Ministry about major construction projects to fund.
Their primary job is to integrate and avoid duplication among local hospitals, and home-care and long-term-care providers.
The 14 LHINs are governed by boards of up to nine that must hold at least four public meetings a year. They are appointed by the lieutenant governor.