Article content
The Ontario government has appointed a supervisor to oversee Renfrew Victoria Hospital after “concerning financial practices” were uncovered during a review.
In a statement Thursday, the Ontario Ministry of Health said Altaf Stationwala, who is President and CEO of Mackenzie Health in the GTA, will supervise the hospital “to strengthen its governance, accountability, and ability to deliver the best possible care to Ontarians.”
Article content
Ministry spokesperson Hannah Jensen said regular operations will continue at the hospital during Stationawala’s tenure.
“People needing to connect to care at Renfrew Victoria Hospital will see no disruption in service and will be able to access all regular programs and services.”
The ministry said the supervisor’s role will be to work with the hospital’s CEO, board of directors and staff to address concerns regarding hospital governance and management practices, including concerning financial practices found during the review.
No further details about the nature of those concerns were available. They were uncovered during a review by Ontario Health and an independent third party.
Stationwala will provide regular updates to the ministry of health and write a final report that the ministry says will “strengthen and improve” the hospital’s governance.
The Ontario Public Hospitals Act allows the government to appoint a supervisor to take over the administration of a hospital if it is considered in the public interest to do so. It happens infrequently but is considered an important tool to improve public confidence in hospitals. Most hospitals are not-for-profit organizations that receive most of their funding from the provincial government, but operate independently.
Article content
In 2010/2011, according to one report, hospitals used about 30 per cent of the province’s multi-billion health-care budget.
It its most recent financial statement, for the year ending in March of 2023, the hospital recorded a small surplus.
The appointment of a supervisor at the 55-bed hospital an hour west of Ottawa, comes at a time when there has been growing concern about the financial health of many hospitals in the province, especially smaller rural hospitals, with many forced to pay high fees for agency nurses to fill in chronic staffing gaps.
Last year, many area hospitals posted deficits.
Recommended from Editorial
Share this article in your social network