NGH looking at ways to cut its deficit

[Spidubic]

Besides layoff they are going to raise parking from $5 to $6. $5 was nuts, $6 is outrageous.

Link

[kishgo]

I read this article online. Interesting. Parking revenue is profitable and still behind what we pay in the city, but then, NGH isn't in the city. Can anyone else suggest a way to make the budget balance? So many smart minds on this forum. Let's come up with one and submit it to the powers at NGH!

[Spidubic]

I think they are on the right track hiring more nurses to cut down on overtime paid. Why pay overtime if they don't have to?

[kishgo]

One good move for sure.

[observer]

I think they've done a number of things to "annoy" users - such as the way they did the renovations - placing the new front entrance where and how they did; and grassing over the parking spaces at the entry to Emerg - that a lot of people are less than enthused with helping to fund more "changes" - for fear they'll also be handled in a less than acceptable (by a lot) manner.

[Spidubic]

I think they've done a number of things to "annoy" users - such as the way they did the renovations - placing the new front entrance where and how they did; and grassing over the parking spaces at the entry to Emerg

Sadly people were abusing those spots and thus rather than try to deal with the situation the hospital felt it was simpler to remove the parking and thus remove the problem.

[Ruby Tuesday]

I will always help fund this hospital. Why wouldn't I? My children were born there and they have taken good care of me and got me on the straightaway every time I've been a patient in emerge - or my husband in emerge - or our sons in emerge or admitted. I am not saying they are perfect - I have complaints - but I definitely want to see them survive.

I am not worried about a parking space increase. I have never used the paid lot in my life and I don't see a need to until someday I need to be close to the entrance or something. I have no problem with walking a few blocks - fortunately.

What I would rather focus on is patient care, reduced emergency room waits, and improvements to new technology and new equipment.

I think that comments about the way they "appear" to have handled previous money should be brought to their attention - maybe through the hospital board. They should be aware of the public having a negative impression of what they have done.

I hope they can cut enough corners to save money (or reduce expenses) to what they need to achieve. There is always room to tighten up a pend budget.

[mario]

How about turning down the air condition? When I was there a couple years ago for a suspected gall stone problem it was FREEZING!!! I had to ask for a heated blanket.

[growler]

well about some things that have happened here at ngh (not exactly the same as nhnh,my residence)that have "upset people",(some that bug me to!)are
: the front entrance, that used to be on West street, but was relocated to Robinson street! some say this was "BILL's FOLLEY"as the former ceo thought robinson street was the major thorofare of simcoe, and the main entrance would "look" better there than on west street,and as he personally knew an architect that could (did) design an entryway befitting ngh,which was under his control it just seemed right,as did others, so in trying to increase the budget for the ministry of health,(that always had extra money anyway),so why not spend some ! and the sshortfall was made up by the local residents,and service clubs !
plus bill got a feather in his cap as someone crowned his endeavor(folley) with an architechtural award that year !
:the reduction in parking spaces on west street. bill found that some still considered west st. as the front of mgh,and he knew that it could look better if the parking area was reduced. so in the name of "safety" we went ahead and spent $150,000. to reduce the parking "problem" saying that ambulances were being slowed down getting to the emergency areas because the pedestrians from these vehicles parked in this area slowed the emergency vehicles down ! but as the ambulances unload before the area reduced for parking,(they enter this emergency area before getting to the affected parking spots) most given time to look at this area couldn't understand the need for this expenditure ! and being this was the first year of denying any hospital deficits, and this causing an overage in the budget,plus if a deficit was accrued the top executives were not allowed to collect yearly bonus's, other services had to be cut to cover this $150,000. expense !
: the heating and cooling budgets (as brought up by another,gotcha mario!) the maintenance perssonnel though if they put a new boiler system in place there would be a savings on the power bill,and the a/c could be updated at the same time, and could be financed as a capital expenditure, making it unnoticible on the budget ! but it could be done except while doing so they found some of the distribution lines from the boiler house to ngh also needed upgrading, which cost were not in the costing forecast, as well as when the new a/c units were put on the roof areas (that were just repaired) the new units took up less area than the old ones, and the damage done while lifting the old ones (by cranes) and replacing them with the newer "smaller"units the roof again needed to be repaired ! plus the older controls of the system didn't operate quite right with the new system requiring a new control system that also cost more money,that with the roof repairs blew the budget on all this work, and will be years before any energy savings will be seen. (just not using new math ?)
:back to parking ! it was found that the staff of ngh and nhnh didn't feel that they should have to be paying a 33%,or 25% increase in parking charges after only getting 2% more in wages, so upon noticing revenue falling the hospital had employees and residents of elgin and king streets,call the bylaw officers and complain about people parking on the streets and to ticket these employee's,(plus visitors) ! so after being treated like that the employee's got pretty upset and became even more UNION like workers ! and after getting so many complaints, the county had the amount of parking spaces reduced,and the amount of parking time reduce,plus more enforcement! and some instead of paying the high parking costs now park at the mall,and walk the 3 or so blocks to work.
and as some still don't realize that from all levels of governments that ngh gets over $1 million a year to build and maintain parking services!
and if you are coming to nhnh,even now they have still not signs indicating there is another parking area(you have to pay for it)behind nhnh off of elgin st.,marked as a receiving area !
and there are a lot more gripes about the money that is spent/paid by ngh and nhnh but i'll tell more about it later, as i've been almost 2 hours getting this much done !

oh but one more thing about this statement, and the ceo's wages being froze !
i still do not see her telling everyone about her total wage packag !
they publish her wages given to her by ngh as they do publish everyone that collects more than $100,000., but that never shows yearly bonus's or in the case of ngh and nhnh, most are unaware that the payroll's of each is separate, and that they (the top dog's) get anothr paycheque from nhnh that is not published as it is less than $100,000. and is not required to be shown(the ceo is the director of nhnh and gets a measly $65,000. more per year!)
but she won't get a raise for her job this year!(but nobody says she won't get a bonus !)
oh well bill only took a bonus of near $20,000. when he retired so it don't matter !

[Ruby Tuesday]

Why does anyone really CARE that they moved the entrance? I mean, really, what impact does that have to the average person going to the hospital? If you are using the main entrance you are a lot luckier than those using the other. I just don't see what the huge groaning is about with this change - And I think it's just that - change. Humans have difficulties adapting to it.

As for the heat and air - sounds like the person responsible for budgeting that capital request bounced a bit off the bubble. Same thing happens every time Norfolk County has a capital expense. Doesn't make it right though.

And CEO wages - that is no different than any published wage and no different than any other senior mgr would do. Rembrandt though, most bonuses are a direct result of something, so you can't assume they are "taken" . And, if someone super ended their targets and over-accomplished maybe they deserve extra?

[growler]

Why does anyone really CARE that they moved the entrance? I mean, really, what impact does that have to the average person going to the hospital? If you are using the main entrance you are a lot luckier than those using the other. I just don't see what the huge groaning is about with this change - And I think it's just that - change. Humans have difficulties adapting to it.

And CEO wages - that is no different than any published wage and no different than any other senior mgr would do. Rembrandt though, most bonuses are a direct result of something, so you can't assume they are "taken" . And, if someone super ended their targets and over-accomplished maybe they deserve extra?

the thing that most dislike about the new entrance is that hardly any enjoy the appearance of it, let alone the cost (total cost,not just the construction cost published) of several milion dollars !

and the part of the wages that are most disliked by myself and others that look at things like this is the fact that the ceo and at least one other of the ngh payroll is not just the figure published in the press, but the ceo who spends little time doing work for nhnh but gets $65,000. more per year than the amount the average member of the public is aware of!
there are a lot of family's that live on substantialy less than that !
and since the law was changed to say the ceo's had to reimburse the hospital's in ontario any previously collected bonus's rather than have a deficit, they suddenly near the end of there term can "find" funds to balance the book's no matter who has to be laid off to retain their bonus money !
i do agree with an executive being paid very high bonus money's if they exceed all others in doing the job they have.
but it should be done on occasion. not as a yearly habit !
and should also be publicly announced,the amount and the reason, not kept in the back rooms !
and at ngh there are many that exceed their normal job loads and excel at there jobs, but i have yet to hear of bonus money's being passed out to them.
they are as neccesary,or even more neccesary than the executives, but are seldom considered on payday !
(and not just dr.s and nurses, but many other workers)

[Spidubic]

Rich get richer. Poor get poorer.

[kishgo]

And the gap is growing.....

[growler]

at nhnh yesterday(sunday,17 th) there were so many full timers and senior part timers off that some of the junior part timers worked 15 and 16 hour shifts to keep things going at below levels of staffing !
one of them had to return after 16 hrs on duty,7 hrs. later !
fast sleeper !

[Ruby Tuesday]

I am surprised that their contract allows them to work 16 hours straight.

[kishgo]

I would worry about the quality of care they are giving AND how they can cope personally.

[growler]

yeah it would be (was) tough, but when there is no one willing to come in,(they phoned over 20!) and you then qualify for o/t for 1/2 the shift,(normally it would be classed as a 12hr.waterfall shift),so 8 hr's at time and a half,and as it was less than 10 hr's before returning for the next shift so it then paid double time, as a p/t employee, she done very well $ wise !
and i'm not sure, but i think the caw charges union dues at a % of earnings, i doubt they would complain to much ?

[Ruby Tuesday]

I still say that what you are describing is no different than a lot of other service orgs or companies. It's always the upper group that gets bonuses, etc, and not the actual hourly associates. Why.? Incentive I guess which is relative to the position. They have also donea lot to gain them that privilege - they have got an education, typically work long hours and may or may not be paid extra for that, and they are empowered with challenges of specific metrics and goals to attain and must make very important decisions.

For that they are compensated.

Hourly definitely work hard also, but don't typically have those types of bonuses available - right or wrong. They also typically have a reduced realm of authority, decision making responsibilities, and responsibility for direct reports, etc. Typically over achievers are promoted or seek positions of greater responsibility to gain additional compensation.

[growler]

Hourly definitely work hard also, but don't typically have those types of bonuses available - right or wrong. They also typically have a reduced realm of authority, decision making responsibilities, and responsibility for direct reports, etc. Typically over achievers are promoted or seek positions of greater responsibility to gain additional compensation.

i agree with what you are saying about the hourly!
but the salaried are already being paid at a premium wage, plus get far better work schedules !(and not all but most record the extra hrs they work and use the recorded kour as a justification for taking time off, and not always in days off but hour long cofee breaks, extra long meal breaks, or medical and personal appointments) plus very few work nights and/or weekends !
and i know that in the past 6 years + that i've been a resident here that i can recall every time that a salaried employee has worked on a weekend !
and most enjoy telling their tale of vacationing as well as travelling to dispose of their bonus money!
and the ngh and nhnh golf club memberships that they enjoy are quite often talked about as well but you have to really be consistant when asking about which had paid for it,ngh or nhnh!
i was informed by one staff member that he/she was given 3 yearlong golf club memberships
so if they worked full schedules could they golf enough to justify that ?

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