Main entrance at Bluewater Health's Sarnia hospital. Photo by Meghan Bond.Main entrance at Bluewater Health's Sarnia hospital. Photo by Meghan Bond.
Sarnia

Deficit Looming At Bluewater Health

Bluewater Health is projecting a $2.8-million deficit for the 2018-2019 fiscal year, while in the midst of an extraordinary seasonal surge.

CEO Mike Lapaine hopes the province will provide some relief and bring them back to a balanced position.

He says they've had unprecedented demand for their services, with inpatients at record levels.

"The plan we put forward doesn't include any staff dislocation or layoffs," says Lapaine. "In the last two weeks, as a matter of fact, we've seen probably the two busiest weeks I've ever seen here at the hospital."

Lapaine says the demand isn't only being felt at Bluewater Health.

"Hospitals in general across the province are under severe pressure this winter. We do expect that the overall hospital funding envelope will be increased," he says. "How it gets disseminated to an individual hospital, we learn long after the budget has been passed by the legislature."

The board has been anticipating a $450,000 year-end surplus for the current fiscal year ending March 31, but Lapaine says that may change given the busy winter.

"We are up against the wall," says Lapaine. "We're projecting next year's overall ministry revenue, at this point, is less than what we received six years ago. So we've absorbed six years of inflation and there's a limit to how long you can do that."

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