By Mary Wilson Trider
As we approach the end of one year and think about our hopes for the coming year, it is a good time to remember some of the highlights of 2015.
From my perspective, these include:
- Renewing our contract with Lanark County to operate the Lanark County Paramedic Service (LCPS) for another five years;
- Achieving Bronze status under the Healthy Foods in Champlain Hospitals initiative;
- Successful external inspections of Fairview Manor and of our Pharmacy Department, where a number of leading practices were identified;
- Welcoming Dr. David Caloia, Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Physicians Drs. Reg Krechowicz and Matthew Tiffany to our full-time Medical Staff;
- Completion of Year 2 of the MOREOb progam by our Obstetrics team;
- Our community supported the purchase of new medical equipment with incredible generosity;
We continue to achieve excellent patient and resident satisfaction results in all three of our divisions.
LCPS, which is the only Ontario paramedic service I know of to ask its patients about their experience, achieved an overall ranking of 4.84 out of 5, or 96%, from patients responding to the survey.
In Fairview Manor, residents and families gave the staff very high marks for respect, compassion, information sharing and a clean, well maintained environment.
We don’t have a survey tool for the Hospital’s Rosamond Unit but I am pleased to say that I have had lots of positive feedback from family members over the past year.
In the areas that are measured by the National Research Corporation of Canada’s survey of patient experience, Almonte General Hospital once again had excellent results. Our Medical/Surgical unit is in the top 10% of Ontario hospitals that patients would recommend to their friends and families and our Emergency department is in the top 10% of Ontario Emergency Departments for overall care and as an ED that people would recommend.
For the second year in a row our Maternity Department was ranked #1 in Ontario for both overall care and the “Would you recommend” question.
These excellent results are a testament to the contributions of every member of the AGH team – at the bedside, in a supporting role and behind the scenes – to the experience of our patients and their families.
We are very grateful for the role that members of our community play in the life of the Hospital, the Manor and the Paramedic Service. Your compliments tell us how we make a difference. Your concerns and constructive suggestions help us to constantly work towards improving. Your philanthropy ensures that patients and residents benefit from new and renewed equipment to meet their care needs. Thank you.
We wish you a happy and health New Year.
Mary Wilson Trider is President and CEO of Almonte General Hospital and Fairview Manor.
