Windsor Regional Hospital's deficit is at $17-million, but no services are on the chopping block just yet.
"As it's planned right now — no service cuts," says David Musyj, president and chief executive officer of Windsor Regional Hospital.
Musyj says the deficit came in as projected when the hospital made moves to cut more than 160 full-time positions earlier this year.
He hopes to see the hospital getting closer to balance in about a year.
"I would hope we're definitely in the single digits of a deficit, if not balanced," says Musyj. "A lot will have to do with respect to any additional funding we receive."
Musyj says Windsor has been hit hard by provincial funding changes, leaving the hospital with a $20-million shortfall to deal with.
Part of the solution to get back in black will be to direct some patients to appropriate clinics in the community instead of at the hospital.
"We have certain clinics in the hospital we're providing to outpatients to the hospital — people who come to the hospital just to attend the clinic — we're not getting funding for that at all," says Musyj. "They've historically been here just because there was nothing out in the community for people to go to, but over time there's been investments in the community for these clinics."
The hospital's board of directors heard the deficit number at its meeting on Thursday. A final audited statement is still to be completed.
