Excellence in Rural Healthcare

St. Francis Memorial Hospital (SFMH) is a 20-bed community hospital located in the village of Barry’s Bay. It serves a catchment of approximately 10,000 population dispersed over a large geographic area.

---

The 1,800 sq. kilometers area includes: Renfrew County, a portion of South Algonquin Township in the District of Nipissing and Algonquin Park, Hwy 60 main corridor.  SFMH's mission is "To provide high quality, patient centred healthcare in collaboration with our partners." and is commited to performance. 

---

VISION:  “A Hospital Solution – A Community Solution”: A community healthcare hub that integrates all services that will not only address the unique community needs but also increase the essential critical mass and improve efficiencies in order to respond to current economic realities.

SFMH is built on foundation of Integration success: SFMH is continuously seeking strategic partnerships and solutions that will improve the organization’s efficiency and patient care across the system. In 2012, SFMH received the Small, Rural and Northern Award of Excellence recognizing its innovative leadership in establishing partnerships to expand and improve health services in the Madawaska Valley.

The governance practices and leadership exemplified by SFMH Board were instrumental in achieving integration success and effective partnerships. Key achievements are outlined below.

PARTNERSHIPS

Renfrew Victoria Hospital (RVH)
SFMH Board established a voluntary partnership with RVH more than a decade ago. Trust, respect and effective governance as well as collaboration between the boards and the CEO are the basis for the tremendous and ongoing success of this partnership.

Outcomes & Impact on patients: Improved access for some 3,700 patients and 1200 Ontario Breast Screening Program clients to receive services locally through clinics integrated with SFMH who would otherwise need to travel to Renfrew (1 hr)  and Ottawa (2.5 hrs)

Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association (EORLA) – SFMH is part of a partnership of 16 hospitals that creates the LHIN-wide integrated and standardized laboratory services. Over 12 million tests are performed annually.

Outcome/Impact: Patients benefit from enhanced quality care through improved standardization delivered seamlessly across the entire region. EORLA enables Laboratory Medicine to operate as a core business, so that decisions and resource allocations can be made in the interest of providing best-in-class Pathology and Laboratory Medicine operations.  Savings achieved from operational improvements will be re-invested in laboratory staff and leading- edge technologies.

The Ottawa Hospital
SFMH and RVH have entered into a partnership with the current 56 radiologists in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging at The Ottawa Hospital (Ottawa Hospital and Region Imaging Associates (OHRIA)). Outcome/Impact: Patients are benefiting from enhanced quality care and response time.

Private Physiotherapy Clinic – Due to the lack and need of physiotherapy services locally, the SFMH created a partnership with a Physiotherapy company and renovated space in its Health Center for a new clinic. Outcome/Impact: Improved access to services, reduced travel for our clients and increased revenue stream for SFMH.