In anticipation of the BC Ombudsman's Report on seniors' care and in response to significant developments since the spring election, the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) today released a report that recommends ways to make the seniors' care system safer, more efficient and sustainable.
This report, "Recommendations to improve efficiency and sustainability of BC residential seniors care and home support sector" compliments health and safety guidelines BCCPA released earlier this year to help care facilities manage workloads and support decisions to refuse admissions based on low-staffing levels. The report was submitted to BC Health Minister Kevin Falcon last month.
"While there is a tremendous spirit of goodwill among BC care providers, our seniors' care system is facing a crisis," said BCCPA CEO Ed Helfrich. "By renewing our partnership, we can work together with the Minister, his officials, care providers and health authorities to promote transparency, improve care standards, attack inefficiency and address the cost pressures we all know are coming with a rapidly aging society."
A full copy of the report is available at here. Some of the recommendations include:
- prioritize $54 million in new user fee revenue for care facilities with low staffing ratios - under 2.8 hours of care/patient/day
- mitigate impacts of the HST on seniors' health sector
- establish task force to fill empty residential care beds & available home support services with seniors waiting in acute care hospital beds
- consider alternative approaches to funding seniors care - including separation of care funding from accommodation costs & pilot project that allows funding to follow the patient
- develop action plans for emerging cost pressures & to reduce regulatory duplication
- conduct operational audit of Healthcare Benefit Trust as part of province-wide review of government agencies
- expand use of home support services & consider standardized wage rates of home support workers and residential care aides
- encourage more active response from Government of Canada to challenges associated with aging society
- conclude substantive province-wide contract with care providers that recognizes the connection between funding and quality of care - along with principles of fairness, respect & transparency
Following an introductory meeting in July with Minister Falcon, BCCPA agreed to prepare a comprehensive list of recommendations that identifies:
- constructive solutions to achieve efficiencies for taxpayers without compromising quality of care for seniors
- strategic opportunities to sustain and improve seniors care in the future
As part of its government wide efficiency review, BCCPA is also calling on the Minister to initiate full comparative and independent analysis of all funding provided to Health Authority residential care facilities vs. not-for profit and private operated facilities (affiliates) for the same service. If the review demonstrates that affiliates are administering quality seniors' care more cost-effectively than health authorities, the government should consider putting these services out to competitive tender.
"An informed discussion about increased efficiency in health care must start with a commitment to more transparency," said BCCPA President Christine Nidd. "The ability of health authorities to award themselves contracts for residential care and home support at higher rates without public tender is not ultimately in the best interest of taxpayers or the seniors we serve. In addition to representing a questionable business practice, this arrangement has resulted in unequal standards of care from one community to the next."
Since the May election, the seniors' care system has faced a number of new challenges including service cuts, introduction of the HST, increased Medical Service Plan and Employment Insurance premiums and new client user fees. This report reflects these new realities. It does not recommend any new measures that would require seniors to pay more for health care services.
The BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) has represented health care leaders in BC for over 30 years. BCCPA members employ more than 7,000 people. They care for over 10,000 seniors each day in residential care and an additional 4,000 each year through home support.
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Background: Summary – BCCPA “Recommendations to improve efficiency and sustainability of BC residential seniors care and home support sector”
