24 - Wednesday, June 5, 1991 — North Shore News

Community partnerships

con't trom page 3

Lions Gate Hospital is a major
participant in several community
partnership programs which
provide a high level of service to
patients, and more effectively use
the resources of the hospital and
the community.

The Quick Response Program
recently celebrated its first
anniversary, having seen more
than double the number of people
originally anticipated. This program
is offered in cooperation with
North Shore Health, and is
designed for those who find
themselves being admitted to
hospital because they cannot

quickly access the services they
require to stay in their homes.
For these people, nursing or
rehabilitation services are often the
main reason for hospitalization.
Quick Response staff can arrange
for these services to be provided
in the family home, instead of
hospital. The benefits are mutual
— patients recover quickly and
confidently at home, and acute-
care hospital beds are open for
patients who more urgentiy
require them.

Lions Gate's Palliative Care
Program has provided service and
leadership for over 10 years. This
program, working in collaboration
with North Shore Health, North
Shore Family Services and the
Lions Gate Hospice Society, offers
choices in management and
lifestyle to over 200 families a
year. This Spring, the program
hosted its 10th annual conference
at the Hotel Vancouver. Several
hundred medical and health
professionals attended from
Canada and the U.S.

Lions Gate Hospital is a strong

partner in Healthy North Shore

2000, a collaborative project with
North Shore Health, to plan and
coordinate future health services.

Fiscal management of limited
resources

One of our greatest tasks has been
to plan and manage the delivery
of exemplary health care in an
environment of change. At Lions
Gate Hospital, we have been
working towards effective resource

management tor many years, and
herein ties the challenge of
providing, maintaining and
improving health care with limited,
often restraint budgets.

Hospital equipment continues to
be amongst the most expensive of
any field. Much of the equipment
in use at Lions Gate is earmarkeci
for replacement due to its age and
the availability of new technology.
And although the cost, when
factored over its 10-20 years of use
is low per year of service. the
initial outlay is in the millions of
dollars. The replacement of items
which are no longer serviceable,
in addition to the new tools and
techniques available, amounts to
an overwhelming cost. Of the $9
million of equipment identified in
1990-1991, the $2.3 million capita!
budget covered 25-percent. These
capital funds come from 4 primary
sources — provincial and regional
governments, the community via
Lions Gate Hospital Foundation,
and the Auxiliary to Lions Gate
Hospital.

People are our most imporant
resource

By far our most important resource
is Our people. Our statf and
physicians, our Board of Directors
and our many volunteers are what
make Lions Gate Hospital the
unique and special place it is. Our
siaff are renowned for their top
professional skills and, equally
important, their giving
themselves to make Lions Gate a
warm, welcoming, enthusiastic
place to be. Many of our
innovative programs and services
were identified and implemented
by staff who had the creativity and
dedication to put better service
into practise.

We recognize with gratitude the
individuals who give so generously
of their time and talents to serve
on the Board of Directors, the
Lions Gate Hospital Foundation
and Auxiliary. Our board members
work year ‘round to provide
perspective, leadership and
governance to our hospital.

The Auxiliary, with over 500
members, dedicates its time to
serving patients and raising funds
for equipment and patient services.
Many members have given over 30
years of service. In the past 10
years over $1 million has been
raised by the Auxiliary, through its
Dogwood Shops, Thrift Shop and
other activities. This year marks

the Auxiliary’s 70th anniversary.

The Lions Gate Hospital
Foundation continues to foster
relationships between the hospital
and the community. Their success
in just 3 short years is evidenced
by the commitment of volunteers
wno raised more than $1 million
for capital equipment this past
year.

.. con't on page 5

MEARE:
7

.
if