Defend Public Healthcare

Three out of every 10 Pennsylvania patients who got a hospital acquired infection (HAI) in 2009 were re-admitted to the hospital within 30 days for an infection or complication, according to a new report released today by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4). That's about five times the rate for patients that did not get an HAI during their stay.   “The data suggest that if you contract an infection in the hospital, you are more likely to be re-hospitalized,” said  Joe Martin , PHC4’s executive director. “We don’t know why that is or how much the initial infection contributes to the readmission, but it may present opportunities for quality improvement and cost containment.” For more on this study click here.   dallan@cupe.ca

Here's one account of what happens when patients have to travel for hospitals services.    Count Earle Nelson has spent, by his own calculations, more than $26,300 on transportation, parking and passes since 2007 travelling to hospitals an hour or more away three times a week to be hooked up to a machine that keeps him alive. "Not only is it costly to travel but also very stressful and anxiety often happens when weather conditions or other factors cause difficult situations that are detrimental to the well-being of a patient," he said last week. Mr. Nelson was speaking at a special meeting organized by six of his fellow tenants at Campbellford Memorial Multicare Lodge to generate support for people who suffer from renal failure. "The time has come. A dialysis unit must be considered a priority for Campbellford Memorial Hospital," said Mr. Nelson, who told one audience member he receives "a little, but nothing much" in the way of help for his out

OCHU has repeatedly flagged the role of for-profit providers in driving up the costs of health care, and more often than not, the main offender is transnational pharmaceutical drug companies. Supporters of these corporations have often justified the expense of their drugs by citing  research and development costs.   $1.32 billion per drug is often bandied about So it is interesting to see Andre Picard's review in the Globe and Mail  of a  study that examined these, alleged, costs.  Picard reports that the study suggests a more realistic cost (after accounting for things like the true cost of financing, government tax subsidies, and public support via basic research from government and university labs) might be closer to $59.4-million.   That's quite a difference.   The actual costs are 4.5% of the amount claimed by the supporters of this for-profit industry. So, where does all that money we spend on drugs go?

A Hamilton City Councillor  is demanding the Local Health Integration Network (or the local hospital) pick up the tab for extra Emergency Medical Service (EMS) costs associated with hospital restructuring in that city. Councillor Tom Jackson says a consultants report predicts it could cost an extra $1.5 million in EMS (ambulance) costs. This sort of cost download is likely happening with a lot of the centralization of hospital services going on around the province.  Emergency Medical Services are increasingly required to move patients from one hospital to another, so that patients can get access to the variety of services they need at the specialized sites providing those services. From the province's point of view, this is a winning proposition: while they fund almost all hospital expenses, they only have to pay 50% of   approved EMS costs.  But for municipalities charged with providing Emergency Medical Services, hospital centralization creates new costs (and demands) for

Alex Munter, the new chief executive officer of the Champlain Local Health Integration Network, has suggested hospitals   in rural communities can become health hubs that bring together services from other providers, thus offering a broad range of health and social services at one convenient location. Following  the announcement by the Eastern Ontario Health Unit that it would move its home to the campus of the rural Winchester District Memorial Hospital, Munter stated :  "In rural communities, hospitals can become health hubs that bring together services from other providers and offer a broad range of health and social services at one convenient location. This is an exciting initiative that further speaks to the Winchester Hospital's innovative leadership in health care."     Coincidentally, OCHU has just submitted its comments on the Rural and Northern Health Care Framework/Plan, Stage 1 Report ,  and has  renewed its call  for hospitals to become hubs for health c

Following furors  in Windsor and Toronto , Health Minister, Deb Matthews has told hospitals not to charge patients waiting for a long term care bed more than $53.23 a day.  That's a lot less than the $1,800 a day that some wanted to charge, to help reduce hospital bed occupancy.  “It is completely inappropriate and unacceptable for any individual in this province in a hospital waiting for long-term care to be charged more than $53.23 per day,” Matthews  told the legislature Tuesday. These special charges have been around (and complained about) for some time, as jammed-up hospitals have felt increasing pressure to boot out patients.  So it's good to see the Ministers has finally felt compelled to do some thing about it.  Bed occupancy does need to be reduced -- but not by undermining medicare.   This is a good day for public health care.  dallan@cupe.ca

St. Joseph’s hospital  in Hamilton has begun to report the number of its patients who have died with hospital acquired infections, according to the Hamilton Spectator . In this, St. Joe’s is leading the way.  OCHU called years ago for the province to require hospitals to release information about hospital acquired infections (HAIs).  Eventually, the province did require hospitals to report the incidence of some of the most widespread HAIs. But the province still does not require hospitals to report patients who died with HAIs.  So here, St. Joe's deserve some recognition.  St. Joe’s is now one of the few hospitals with a broader public disclosure policy for HAIs.  Sixteen infected patients died at St. Joe's in a 3½-month surge of C. difficle.   The outbreak ended Feb. 11. The province should require all hospitals to report patients who have died infected with HAIs, and not leave it to  those willing to put their neck out.   With public transparency will com