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2011-2012 will be year of stabilizing, implementing
May 26, 2011
Now that the Health PEI budget has been approved for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, we can focus on continuing toward our goal of creating our One Island Health System.
This is the last year of our first three-year strategic plan. During this period we have worked hard toward building a safer, high-quality, integrated health system focused on bringing Islanders the right care, by the right provider, in the right place. The last two years have seen a lot of change being introduced into our health system. This year will be a year of stabilizing and integrating the changes that were previously introduced.
The new budget approved by the Legislature provides for new investments in primary care, home care, emergency departments, long-term care and stroke care. Even with these new investments, challenges remain in funding health programs in light of the pressures being put on our health system from:
- increasing demand for our services as our Island population ages;
- the current shortage of well-qualified health-care professionals; and
- pressure to invest in new technologies, including drugs that meet the expectations of Islanders.
As much as we spend on health services, there will always be demand for more. However, the health and wellness of Islanders is about more than adequately funding health care, and we are competing against other vital services of government for a limited amount of financial resources.
We must continue to find ways to manage the growth of the health system while maintaining our high quality of care. For example, we have put standardization processes into place that promise to increase the quality and effectiveness of our services, such as the first of our Lean Six Sigma projects in the QEH Emergency Department and Lab and in Summerside Home Care.
The significant progress we have made would not have been possible without the dedication of our skilled, quality-focused staff and physicians. There are still many challenges ahead of us, so the foundation you are building will be important in preparing us for the future.
Keith Dewar, CEO
Posted at 10:41 am
