The Prince Albert Parkland Health Region will be opening four additional long-term care beds at the Hafford Special Care Centre and Primary Care Centre, as part of a pilot project to relieve pressure on acute care beds.
"The region has been exploring many options to help reduce the number of people waiting in acute care beds for long-term care placement," said Cecile Hunt, chief executive officer.
"As part of planning for 2011-12 operating budget, the region will be providing additional resources for staffing and supplies to open four additional beds at the Hafford facility."
The four beds will be opened later this year dependant on the ability to recruit additional staffing, particularly special care aides and recreation therapists, who will be required to ensure the continuation of safe, quality health care services. The additional cost, at about $112,000, is a part of the region's 2011-12 operating budget achieved through efficiencies achieved within the region.
This is a pilot project, Hunt says, and will include an evaluation process to determine the impact of the four additional beds on the number of individuals occupying acute care beds while waiting for placement in long-term care.
Two years ago, the region adopted a first available bed policy, which requires individuals who require placement in long-term care, and are currently occupying an acute care bed, to take the first available bed regardless of location. Those individuals are then placed on a transfer list to return to their community of choice as quickly as possible.
In addition to assisting Prince Albert Parkland, the additional beds will also be available for individuals waiting for long-term care placement while in acute care beds in the Prairie North Health Region.
"We are very appreciative of the opportunity to access the four beds in Hafford, should any of them be available to us," said PNHR CEO David Fan. "Like Prince Albert Parkland and other Saskatchewan health regions, Prairie North continues to experience pressure on long-term care beds as individuals wait in acute care for long-term care placement. We too have been exploring options to enhance access to acute care beds and do utilize a first available bed policy within our region.
"This is another positive example of the co-operation and collaboration between our two regions to make the best possible use of the health system's resources, while continuing to meet patient needs," Fan added.
"We know that moving further away from home, even for a short time period, can be difficult," Hunt said. "That is even more of an issue for someone who is elderly. However, we also have an obligation to maximize the use of all our resources to ensure everyone, including surgical patients, receive timely care. I know that the staff and volunteers in Hafford will provide wonderful care for anyone who moves into that home."
