. PA seope Bear THE VOICE GF NORTH AND aR nae 2 ae December &, 1993 72 pages WE Office, Editorial 985-2131 $175,000 to be saved yearly by LIONS GATE Hospitai (LGH combining critical care units ) will merge its Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) some time after April in a cost-cutting measure. LGH president Beb Smith said Monday that 3.5 full-time equivalent positions will be elimi- nated.. The move saves the hospi- tal approximately $175,000 yearly. “f don’t think patient care will be compromised,”’ said Smith. “The overali acute-care system in the province is downsizing... It’s not unusual for hospitais to have them (the units) combined,” said Smith. Smith said he would prefer to maintain the two units separately, but he said the health care system is changing. Advancements in procedures mean heart treatment patients spend Jess time in hospital. CCU head cardiologist Dr. John- Imrie said the decision to combine ‘the two units involved six months of consideration. “This is not necessarily my preference, but we will make it work. Patient.care will not be compromised,’’ said Imrie. He said the level of cardiac pa-, tient care and patient services will Temain the same following the merger. Imrie said it will be easier to respond to patients’ needs within the context of one critical care unit, He acknowledged that some nurses are upset about the merger. “It’s an indicator of how tight things are in the hospital. Desper- ate times require desperate measures and we are desperate,” said Imrie. He ‘said the hospital has been “dumped on’’ by health ministry policies and tight budgets in recent years. “This David Schreck guy (North Vancouver-Londsale NDP MLA) gives us absolutely no sup- port. This is a tough, tough situa- By Anna Marie D’Angelo News Reporter tion. In a hospital what you have to do is become leaner and meaner and that’s what we are doing,” said Imrie. He said the ICU area is large enough to accommodate the CCU beds. Smith said the hospital is losing some flexibility with the merger. “Tt think some people will tell you that they are different as night and day and others would say they were not much dif- ferent,’’ said Smith. The critical care units will be merged during the next hospital budget year which begins in April. The new combined unit will use 1} beds at the present second- floor site. The CCU is currently located on the second floor of the western side of the hospital’s tower. Car- diac patients previously treated in CCU currently occupy hospital beds in the Two West wing near the CCU, The present ICU and CCU each have six beds. The CCU and comes on the heels of the cancellation of the 10-year-old LGH intern program. The hospital recently im- plemented a reduced work week, as called for by the provincial Health Labor Accord. The hospi- tal’s board of directors voted against the move. ICU merger LGH was recently required to accept without budgetary com- pensation approximately 20 former Shaughnessy Hospital employees after the Vancouver hospital closed earlier this year. index Budget Beaters.........62 BI Business... 2.65. BB Classified .... fA Doug Collins B Comics . . @ Crossword. @ Bob Hunter... . € Insights. . B Inquiring Reporter..... Lifestyles....... Mailbox ..... Bi News of the Weird Bi North Shore Now @ Sports .. ATV Listings .... Bi What's Going On ...... Weather Thursday and Friday. periods of rain, lows 4°C, highs 9¢C, Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement Number 0087238 a Ta eS, SF VANCOUVE R TABLE TREATS Chef Kurt Ebert hosts a Yuletide baking class Display Advertising 980-0511 PETER TROWER Street poct legend ventures out of the compression chamber Classifieds 986-6222 Distribution 986-1337 NEWS photo Cindy Goodman Deli destruction LINDA FLETCHER surveys the damage to her Lonsdale Avenue restaurant. A vandal broke in Sunday night, smashing appliances and upending food con- tainers. See page 5 for story. REACHING EVERY DOOR ON THE NO ny