What's Up Huntsville Lake of Bays July 2011 - Whatsupmuskoka.com

New CEO optimistic about future of hospitals
By Karen Wehrstein
After six months on the job as CEO of
Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare, Natalie
Bubela is happy with the way things are
going, but has one particular concern.
“Basically, after an external review,
there was acknowledgement from the
Ministry of Health and the North Simcoe-Muskoka
Local Health Integration
Network (LHIN) that there was a $6
million structural deficit,” Bubela says,
explaining that this refers to annual
operating costs. “They gave us the first
installment of $4.5 million in November.
But we need the remaining $1.5
million to balance out this year.”
The CEO has yet to hear a response
from the ministry, even as to the timing
of a decision.
“It would be nice to have an idea of
when we’re going to hear one way or the
other,” she says.
But otherwise, things are going well,
Bubela feels. “What’s really important is
that the hospitals had a balanced budget
for the hospitals at the end of the year,”
she says, noting that the corporation
showed a $50,000 surplus as of March
31.
At the same time, signs indicate the
corporation is providing good care.
“With our performance metrics in the
emergency department, in terms of flowing
patients through, we’re one of the
Natalie Bubela is the new CEO of
Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare.
top five performers in Ontario,” Bubela
says.
Survey results on the hospital website
show consistently above-average ratings
in patient satisfaction.
Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare
(MAHC) is to embark on a strategic
planning process, Bubela says.
“It’s going to involve speaking not
Photograph: Heather Douglas
only to internal stakeholders – our
physicians, staff, auxiliary – but external
stakeholders, meaning our residents,
both permanent and seasonal, and the
municipalities. This is not a case where
the administration has already decided
what they’ll do, but a real consultative
exercise in which what we say together
will determine what the strategic direction
of the hospital.”
A shortage of available health care staff
will be one of the considerations, she
says. As well, new forms of technology,
mostly in surgical techniques, may
require that the hospitals organize themselves
a little differently.
“What’s also important is to differentiate
the MAHC hospitals from others in
the LHIN,” Bubela says. “Do we want
to be noted for great elder-friendly care,
or just as good community hospitals?
One of the things that the South Muskoka
Hospital Foundation found when
polling donors and community was an
emphasis on trauma care. People want to
know when they come into the emergency
department that that kind of care
is available, and it’s good care.”
And, in fact, the strategic plan may
not produce many changes at all, Bubela
says.
“We’ll have to see what makes sense
now.” Bubela hopes to have the strategic
plan in place around the end of October.
To lay to rest any concerns, she notes
that there are no plans to close either
hospital. “We need both emergency
departments,” she says.
Bubela started on Jan. 24, and her first
weeks in the position were spent orienting
herself.
“I’m an experienced health care
administrator, but it’s a matter of learning
the local culture: reading the local
documentation and getting to know
who the people are. Even though people
consider this a small place, a lot is going
on, so it took a while to get up to speed.”
Bubela moved up from Ajax, where
she had administered another hospital
system with two sites, and so far has
enjoyed Muskoka.
“I love it but the bugs can go someplace,”
she says. “I have found the people
warm, friendly, very interested in me as
an individual, and it’s beautiful up here.
My family loves it.”
One of her sons even had to sample
Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s emergency
care after a wakeboarding mishap,
and he gave it the thumbs up, she says.
The family is considering making a permanent
move to Muskoka.
“It’s very clear to me that the hospitals
are ones our communities are proud of
and want to remain vibrant, and that’s
great,” Bubela says. “It’s wonderful to
work with a community that cares.”
12 July 2011 www.whatsupmuskoka.com