The Sunshine Coast Regional Health District (SCRHD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Vancouver Coastal Health and two regional hospital districts in the Coast Garibaldi area to ensure effective, efficient and accountable planning and funding of capital expenditures. The Sea to Sky Regional Hospital District (SSRHD) and Powell River Regional Hospital District (PRRHD) were the other participants in the March 24 MOU signing in Victoria.
Under the MOU, Vancouver Coastal Health and the hospital districts will share information on capital funding, the distribution of capital expenditure to different facilities and background on major projects and equipment acquisitions to facilitate cost-sharing opportunities.
"This Memorandum of Understanding formalizes the existing consultation process between Vancouver Coastal Health and the regional hospital districts and stands as an example of the health authority's interest in working in partnership with the communities it serves," said Ellen Pekeles, Vancouver Coastal Health chief operating officer for North Shore/Coast Garibaldi. "We are delighted to have such a formal partnership in place."
Viviana Zanocco, media relations officer with Vancouver Coastal Health said some of the hospitals in smaller communities felt a loss of autonomy when Vancouver Coastal Health was developed in 2001.
"They feared that the monies they raised were finding their way into the big city," Zanocco said. "We wanted to assure them that the money they raise will remain in the community. Now a formal process is in place that will allow these communities to share information with each other."
The regional hospitals are responsible, on a voluntary basis, for providing funding based on a cost-shared formula to Vancouver Coastal Health for capital expenditures such as facility maintenance, construction, minor and major equipment acquisitions and clinical information technology projects.
"This agreement represents a process that will support practical decisions being made in the interest of all parties during this era of challenging health care resources, said Gibsons Mayor Barry Janyk, chair of the Sunshine Coast Regional Hospital District.