unimaginative2
Senior Member
Hospital set for Vaughan
Local Health Care Foundation singled out as key player by minister
May 02, 2007 04:30 AM
Phinjo Gombu Staff reporter
After years of lobbying, Vaughan – Canada's biggest city without a hospital – is finally going to get one, a point of both pride and need to the municipality that bills itself as the "city above Toronto."
But who's going to build and run it and whether it will resemble a traditional hospital remains to be seen.
"I don't think any commitment or expectation has been built around who is going to run the hospital," said Hy Eliasoph, chief executive officer of the province's Central Local Health Integration Network, yesterday.
"We don't believe the future delivery of health care is supported by a single big huge hospital structure," said Eliasoph, whose organization was asked by Health Minister George Smitherman on Friday to draft a plan in the next 12 months for the hospital, with construction beginning within four years.
"It's not flexible," Eliasoph said of the traditional hospital model, noting that in recent years, health care trends have gravitated toward satellite facilities linked to an existing hospital.
"We're going to look at all the options," he said, adding it could be one group that runs it or a collaboration of several institutions. "There are no givens."
The Vaughan Health Care Foundation was singled out at Smitherman's announcement as one of the key groups that will work with CLHIN.
Acting foundation chair Michael DeGasperis said yesterday his group – consisting of councillors and residents, which began work in 2003 – sees itself as a key player in any hospital.
Vaughan councillors passed a motion this week supporting the foundation as the central player.
A study conducted by the foundation indicated Vaughan needs a 375-bed hospital, which could cost about $275 million to build. York Central Hospital, in neighbouring Richmond Hill, has about 300 beds.
DeGasperis said that since Friday, several hospitals have contacted the foundation, seeking involvement.
"We are the ones we think will carry it through completion," DeGasperis said.
Things could, however, still get interesting when it comes to who operates the facility.
"I don't think anyone or anything is out of the picture, including York Central Hospital," said Eliasoph.
Relations between the Vaughan Health Care Foundation and York Central soured in a recent public spat when York Central suddenly announced plans for a satellite health care centre in Vaughan.
The centre, the hospital announced, would have advanced services such as urgent-care dialysis, rehabilitation and specialty clinics, considered a forerunner to a full-fledged hospital.
The hospital also announced a specific location at Rutherford Rd. and Melville Ave. in Vaughan for the facility – even though it has yet to seek permission from the Ministry of Health.
That prompted DeGasperis to fire off a letter saying the expansion jeopardized the Vaughan foundation's own ministry-approved plans for a community health centre.
The foundation, he said, had chosen to work with Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre to provide similar services, putting it in direct competition with York Central's plans.
Since then, both sides have continued to talk but neither has backed down. A foundation spokesperson said yesterday it is in the final stages of finalizing a lease for its own site.
Eliasoph said whichever facility is built will ultimately be integrated into the Vaughan hospital announced by Smitherman.
Local Health Care Foundation singled out as key player by minister
May 02, 2007 04:30 AM
Phinjo Gombu Staff reporter
After years of lobbying, Vaughan – Canada's biggest city without a hospital – is finally going to get one, a point of both pride and need to the municipality that bills itself as the "city above Toronto."
But who's going to build and run it and whether it will resemble a traditional hospital remains to be seen.
"I don't think any commitment or expectation has been built around who is going to run the hospital," said Hy Eliasoph, chief executive officer of the province's Central Local Health Integration Network, yesterday.
"We don't believe the future delivery of health care is supported by a single big huge hospital structure," said Eliasoph, whose organization was asked by Health Minister George Smitherman on Friday to draft a plan in the next 12 months for the hospital, with construction beginning within four years.
"It's not flexible," Eliasoph said of the traditional hospital model, noting that in recent years, health care trends have gravitated toward satellite facilities linked to an existing hospital.
"We're going to look at all the options," he said, adding it could be one group that runs it or a collaboration of several institutions. "There are no givens."
The Vaughan Health Care Foundation was singled out at Smitherman's announcement as one of the key groups that will work with CLHIN.
Acting foundation chair Michael DeGasperis said yesterday his group – consisting of councillors and residents, which began work in 2003 – sees itself as a key player in any hospital.
Vaughan councillors passed a motion this week supporting the foundation as the central player.
A study conducted by the foundation indicated Vaughan needs a 375-bed hospital, which could cost about $275 million to build. York Central Hospital, in neighbouring Richmond Hill, has about 300 beds.
DeGasperis said that since Friday, several hospitals have contacted the foundation, seeking involvement.
"We are the ones we think will carry it through completion," DeGasperis said.
Things could, however, still get interesting when it comes to who operates the facility.
"I don't think anyone or anything is out of the picture, including York Central Hospital," said Eliasoph.
Relations between the Vaughan Health Care Foundation and York Central soured in a recent public spat when York Central suddenly announced plans for a satellite health care centre in Vaughan.
The centre, the hospital announced, would have advanced services such as urgent-care dialysis, rehabilitation and specialty clinics, considered a forerunner to a full-fledged hospital.
The hospital also announced a specific location at Rutherford Rd. and Melville Ave. in Vaughan for the facility – even though it has yet to seek permission from the Ministry of Health.
That prompted DeGasperis to fire off a letter saying the expansion jeopardized the Vaughan foundation's own ministry-approved plans for a community health centre.
The foundation, he said, had chosen to work with Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre to provide similar services, putting it in direct competition with York Central's plans.
Since then, both sides have continued to talk but neither has backed down. A foundation spokesperson said yesterday it is in the final stages of finalizing a lease for its own site.
Eliasoph said whichever facility is built will ultimately be integrated into the Vaughan hospital announced by Smitherman.