Healthcare foundations in northern B.C. could soon be teaming up for regional wide fundraisers.
During a presentation Monday to the Northern Health board of directors, regional director of business development Finlay Sinclair said discussions are underway to find ways for foundations to work together to meet larger goals.
Currently foundations, like the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation in Prince George, generally fundraise to purchase medical devices and other equipment for local hospitals. If they joined forces for some fundraising projects, they might be able to generate larger pools of money for equipment which could benefit everyone in the region.
"What we hear over and over again is the need for improved diagnostic equipment," Northern Health board chairman Charles Jago said. "It can be a very local need, but it can also be a need for all of Northern Health."
The fundraising drive for the Kordyban Lodge is seen as a prime example, as the building is located in Prince George but is used by patients from across the north.
A regional fundraiser could have the potentially of generating larger corporate donations that a series of smaller local campaigns.
Before any large campaign could be mounted, some or all of the foundations would have to agree it's a good idea.
"So far we haven't defined a campaign or a set of campaign goals, but at least the conversation is taking place," Jago said.
Health science professions continued to have the highest number of vacancies in the central interior, with 12 external vacancies as of Nov. 13. Ultrasound technologists in Vanderhoof and laboratory/X-ray technologists in Valemount and Burns Lake remain a recruitment challenge.
Meanwhile, overall recruitment in the northeast remains difficult, in part because of the high cost of housing in the region.
"It's one of the questionable benefits of economic development," Jago said of the increased cost of living costs.
The lack of a local college nursing program in the northeast was one reason cited for the difficulty in recruiting nurses.
Northern Health remains on pace for a balanced budget, although the margin is tight.
To date the health authority has a surplus of $637,000 on the year, which is less than the amount of money it spends every single day. So far revenue from out of province patients is up, while costs in acute and residential care are also up due to increased patient activity.
"We're on the right side, so I am still getting sleep a night," Northern Health vice-president of financial and corporate services Mark De Croos told the board.
More Northern Health employees are receiving the flu vaccine than ever before.
With new provincial regulations in place which require employees to either get the shot or wear a mask, over 70 per cent have elected to get the shot. Houston leads the way with 36 of 37 employees getting vaccinated.
Northern Health northern interior chief operating officer Michael McMillan said although enforcement mechanisms are available, the health authority is finding success with an educative approach.
"The uptake of the vaccine has been exceptional," he told the board.
