By Cecilia Nasmith/Northumberland 89.7 FM/Today’s Northumberland
Remarks at the February meeting of the Northumberland Hills Hospital board indicate they are bracing for a rough ride ahead.
“If I had one word to describe expectations in the next number of months, it would be chaos,” Vice-Chair Michael McAllister said.
“We are bracing for the impact of the changeover in leadership with our allies to the south.
“Federally, we are facing a significant period of upheaval and the unknown impacts of an election, whatever the outcome.”
And, of course, McAllister added, the provincial election is on the horizon.
“We know, as a hospital, we are reliant on and regulated by the Ministry of Health.
“Locally, issues and challenges within our catchment area impact our hospital on a day-to-day basis,” he said, rising rates of COVID-19 and RSV as an example.
Presiding in the absence of chair Cyndi Gilmer, McAllister expounded on chaos theory, which contends that the flapping of a butterfly’s wings may eventually result in a hurricane on the other side of the world, and noted the need to be prepared for chaos in health care.
At the same time, he continued, “if chaos is accepted, embraced and harnessed, it can lead to greater innovation, improved outcome and increased satisfaction – and this is the path we need to follow.”
NHH President and Chief Executive Officer Susan Walsh stressed the need “in all of us really trying to ensure we are demonstrating and staying stronger.
“As a hospital, we know we are many things to many individuals. The work we are doing now continues to be very important work, because we are stablilizers in the community, and we have a responsibility to continue to do that.”
As health-care needs increase in a growing community, Walsh said, “it gives us a further intention and meaning to make sure we continue to do all we can do.”
