It’s been a persistent theme for the past couple of years at meetings of the Quinte Health Care Board of Directors.
Successive waves of COVID-19 have provided, and continue to provide, challenges to hospital staff while patient volumes are on the increase.
At the same time there are staff shortages in various medical departments.
QHC Board Chair Nancy Evans says the provincial government has to have a serious look at changing the entire health care system.
“We’re very much looking forward to working with the new Minister and Ministry and I think like everyone the government is looking at the learnings and implications coming out of the pandemic so we’re all trying to see the future and determine how to best manage the system going forward.”
Meanwhile President and CEO of Quinte Health Care Stacey Daub says it’s time the province focused on new ways for people to get access to quality medical care.
“We talk a lot about hospitals but we’re as interested in talking about new models and investment in primary care, new investment in home care, new and better investment in long term care and it’s looking at the big picture.”
Daub says the provincial government knows it has to change the health care system, adding the answer is not to continue building new hospitals or adding beds.
