Bluewater Health welcomes unexpected funding boost

Bluewater Health will use $2.12 million in additional provincial funding to address a projected deficit and ensure quick access to care. The Doug Ford government announced the funding Thursday as part of a $68 million boost for nearly 90 small and mid-sized Ontario hospitals. Bluewater Health and 22 other medium sized and multi-site hospitals get a 1.5 per cent increase, while 66 small-sized hospitals receive one per cent. Bluewater Health President and CEO Mike Lapaine said it's great news for all patients in Lambton County. "This is both unexpected and welcomed because for the last several years, our net funding hasn't kept pace with inflation. We've been falling steadily behind, so this [funding] allows us to play a bit of catch-up," said Lapaine. "We were predicting a deficit budget for this year, so this should give us some financial stability, and it allows us to continue our efforts of ending hallway medicine. We've had a concerted effort in the last 18 months of trying to ensure that we always have beds available when we have the sickest patients come into the hospital and this will ensure that we can continue with those efforts." Lapaine said the funding will be reinvested to ensure patients get quick access to their care. He said they started the fiscal year with a deficit of about $1.5 million and, depending on the flu season, the additional funding should allow them to balance the books.