RENFREW — A balanced budget and a rating of “exemplary standing” from Accreditation Canada are just two of the outstanding achievements of Renfrew Victoria Hospital in 2017-2018.
“This is the 28th consecutive year in which RVH has achieved a balanced budget,” said President and CEO Randy Penney in conjunction with the release of the annual report at the AGM, which will be on Thursday, June 28. “We actually finished with a small surplus from combined operating and capital costs, which will allow reinvestment in hospital infrastructure, and position us for more successes in the future.”
The “exemplary standing” rating was granted to RVH by Accreditation Canada last December after a three-day survey. Accreditation Canada is national non-profit organization that provides external peer-reviews of health institutions’ services provided to their patients and clients.
RVH Board Chair Keanan Stone noted that the rating was “a welcome validation of the passion and conviction that the entire team at RVH shares for delivering the best possible health care experience for patients and their families.”
Another highlight of the year was completion of RVH’s new professional building, located at 100 Health Village Lane, on time and on budget. The 18,900 square-foot facility officially opened for business on September 5, 2017. Three physicians—Dr. Tara Avelino, Dr. Anthony De Jesus and Dr. Amanda Low—set up their practices with room for seven more physicians. Other tenants in the building include the Sleep Products Store, Foot Care Clinic, Renfrew Family Chiropractors and the DynaCare Laboratory.
During 2017-2018, RVH also joined The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) in the Epic Hospital Information System project, along with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Hawkesbury General Hospital, Ottawa Hospital Family Health Team and St. Francis Memorial Hospital in Barry’s Bay. The new electronic health record will impact every area of hospital operations from registration, housekeeping and physician orders to nursing notes and diagnostic testing and streamline the system for patients. Go live is planned for June 2019.
“This is not an information technology initiative, but a new way of defining relationships and providing better quality patient care across the Champlain Local Health Integration Network,” said CEO Penney. “RVH has a long history of collaboration with TOH and there are many advantages to this partnership, including the ability to share patient data regionally,” Penney added.
RVH’s fluoroscopy suite was also replaced during 2017-2018 with the installation of new equipment and the redevelopment of the entire suite to meet current standards.
RVH also completed several infrastructure projects, including the replacement of steam boilers and a chiller replacement project, which were funded by the Hospital Infrastructure Renewal Fund. As well, dietary fridge and freezer upgrades were completed through the Hospital Energy Efficiency Fund.
Mr. Penney stressed the importance of infrastructure spending, adding that “the quality of our patient care is directly linked to the quality of our infrastructure. I am proud of our staff’s work in maintaining our physical infrastructure to ensure the best environment for our patients. And, over the foreseeable future, we will continue to invest.”
Another area of achievement for RVH in 2017-2018 involved the implementation of best practices in line with the Registered Nurses of Ontario’s Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) program. RVH received BPSO designation in 2018.
In December 2017, RVH reached silver status in the Healthy Foods in Hospitals program. Offering healthy choices and providing nutritional information at point of purchase were among the requirements for certification.
The hospital also added six visiting specialists: Dr. Mary Ann Beimers, Pediatrician; Dr. Monica Bishop, Palliative Care; Dr. Christopher De Jesus, Orthopaedics; Dr. Vanessa Doyle, Neurologist; Dr. David Messika-Zeitoun, Echocardiography; and Dr. Jeremy Setterfield, Urologist.
“We accomplished a lot in the past year to improve health care services at RVH,” says Chair Stone. “I am very proud of the efforts of everyone on our team. We are committed to serving Renfrew and the surrounding area with the best quality of health services possible and we are well placed to meet the needs of our patients.”
