Hospital Improvement Plan Implementation

Niagara, Ontario:  After extensive discussions with local physicians, the Town of Fort Erie and in response to the ongoing concerns of many residents of the Fort Erie community, the Niagara Health System (NHS) has put forward a plan for health care services for the Douglas Memorial site as part of the implementation of the Hospital Improvement Plan (HIP). This plan is winning the support of local physicians and Fort Erie’s Mayor Doug Martin.

The plan includes:

• Maintenance of the ‘H” on the building;
• 24/7 Urgent Care Centre (UCC);
• 40 complex continuing care beds;
• 6 observation beds (for short stay patients, 24-48 hours);
• diagnostic (x-ray, ultrasound, mammography, electrocardiogram), laboratory, pharmacy;
• maintain the defined outpatient medical, surgical and mental health clinics; and
• an agreement to work together to determine other clinics or services that could be provided at the Douglas Memorial site which would benefit the community.

In addition, discussions are underway with Niagara Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to have non-emergent ambulance calls continue to go to the 24/7 UCC.

The NHS’ implementation plan for Douglas Memorial also includes a two year commitment to maintain the agreed upon services at the site as outlined, in order to complete an appropriate evaluation using mutually agreed upon parameters by all parties concerned.

“I am very encouraged, said Mayor Doug Martin. The HIP was previously silent in a number of these areas but through the conversations I have had with our local physicians and the NHS, there has been considerable progress in defining more specifically the service levels that our local physicians and our community can support at Douglas Memorial.  “Our community has clearly communicated their wishes for Douglas Memorial including maintaining the “H” on Douglas Memorial and we are very pleased that our residents have been heard”, stated Martin. “We will continue to work with our physicians and the NHS to ensure service levels at DMH are maintained and where possible enhanced.”

“We were very concerned that some residents of Fort Erie believed that their hospital was closing and it was important for us to reassure the community that our Douglas Memorial site will continue to provide an important role in healthcare delivery to the Fort Erie community”, said President/CEO Debbie Sevenpifer.” We believe that the plan that we have put forward includes some very creative solutions that addresses many of the concerns that we heard.”

“I am very encouraged to see that after a lot of hard work between the Town of Fort Erie, its doctors and the NHS, there is a plan on the table that can work providing a high level of care to the people of Fort Erie at the Douglas Memorial Hospital,” said Fort Erie MPP Kim Craitor. “This plan has community, political and professional medical support,” he continued stating, “Together, we are moving in the right direction to provide the right medical care for the people of Fort Erie and its visitors.”

An outstanding matter to be brought to conclusion to support the plan developed between the NHS, the physicians and the Town of Fort Erie is the physician funding model for the UCC, which is provided outside of the NHS budget.  Negotiations are currently underway between the Ontario Medical Association, the physicians and the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

For more information, contact:

Caroline Bourque Wiley
Consultant, Public Affairs
Niagara Health System
905-378-4647, ext. 43113
cwiley@niagarahealth.on.ca