Budget Talks With The DRHC

The next two years will be challenging ones for the Dryden Regional Health Center.
CEO Wade Petranik says based on an assumption of a zero-percent increase, they have developed a plan that achieves a balanced budget for 2013-2014 while minimizing impacts on labour and services.
He says they looked at the balance surrounding their visiting specialist program.
The Ministry of Health currently provides them with about 218-thousand dollars to bring in visiting specialists from outside the community. The money helps pay for their travel, accommodations and other costs that come up.
Despite the task of finding efficiencies and cost savings, Petranik says they’re going to be limping in over the finish line with a small surplus of $7,220.
Petranik says it’s quite an achievement for everyone in the organization who has worked hard to make sure they stay in a balanced position.
While the surplus will be helpful, Petranik notes costs keep going up each year, including their water bill which is expected to increase by 80-percent due to the new water meters the city has implemented.
There are also some changes in the 2012-2013 budget, which includes $589,601 in expenses.
One of the largest factors is the benefit contributions, which has increased by $187,220.
Petranik says other areas include wages, education, employee future benefit costs, and medical and surgical supplies.
Through talking with staff and departments, the hospital was able to find $176,182 in effeciences, ranging from insurance and legal fees to overtime costs.