This year’s Annual General Meeting provided an opportunity to honour the past and look with pride to the future. Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital (CPDMH) continued its celebration of 60 years of caring at the Annual General Meeting held on June 24, 2015.
“This hospital was founded from a proposition created February 8th, 1910: to organize a hospital league for the purpose of establishing a hospital in the Town of Carleton Place,” noted Marcel Pinon, Board Chair. “Three months later, the hospital league launched a campaign in Riverside Park announcing their cause. They began to raise funds for a new hospital. And the rest, as they say, is history.”
Marcel Pinon also took some time to talk about the future: “CPDMH remains a cornerstone for our communities. We are continuing a long tradition of advocating for the best care close to home. The Board of Trustees is working closely with the Champlain LHIN and the Ministry of Health to plan for a new Emergency department. We are currently in the early stages of planning the service program and design.”
CEO Toni Surko provided highlights on the accomplishments of the past year, noting that CPDMH is growing, expanding its technology, and being recognized for reduced wait times, efficiency and high patient satisfaction. This year’s Report to the Community provides details. “To deliver quality services, it takes a quality team. There are so many people to thank including our staff, physicians and volunteers,” she noted.
The Board Chair also took the time to thank those who were part of the 60th Birthday Family Day and
Community BBQ. “Both reminded me of why we all do what we do. The barbeque was extremely well attended by staff and supporters exemplifying our roots within our communities; while the Beckwith celebration was packed full of children, demonstrating why local health care is so important for the future.”
The evening concluded with a powerful presentation by Kate Johnson, Chaplin for Queen’s University, who reminded everyone about the power of empathy on each patient experience.
“Going forward, we will continue to provide the very best care for our communities,” summed up Toni Surko. “They have depended on us for close to 60 years, and our mission to be there for them will not change.”
