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FinancesnegativestatsstillplaguestateofhealthinNWTHealthWellnessHealthcare9TuesdayMarch4201414031DG1DeadlineforfeedbackisApril112014.TheGovernmentofAlbertainvitesyourinputontheEmploymentStandardsCodethebasicrulesforemployersandemployees.WearelookingatthingslikeEmploymentofyouthHoursofworkGeneralholidaysandvacationpaySpecialleavesAndmorePleasetelluswhatyouthinkUseouronlineDiscussionGuideandSurveyatwork.alberta.caesreviewEmailyourcommentstojstl.reviewgov.ab.caOrcall1-877-427-3731toorderapapercopyoftheDiscussionGuideandSurveyLETSTALKABOUTYOURWORK.ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheNWTdepartmentofHealthandSocialServicesHSSiswellonitswaytoachievingitslonglistofdeliver-ablesforimprovinghealthcareacrosstheterritorybuthighcostsofcareandhigher-than-averagehealthissuescontinuetobeaburdenonthesystem.Thedepartmentrecentlyreleaseditsannualreportreectingonthestateofser-vicedeliveryandhealthintheNWT25yearsafterthedevolutionofauthoritytotheterritorialgovernment.Thehighlydetailedreportwascandidinthedepartmentsshortcomingswhichrankedfewerthanitssuccessesinthissecondyearoftheongoingve-yearstrategicplan.AccordingtothereportHSSwassuccessfulincom-pletingorbeingontrackwith40of45priorityac-tionsidentiedtoimprovethehealthofthepopulationwhichincludeimprovingchildandfamilyservicesthehealthstatusofthepopulationinnovationstoservicedeliveryensuringpatientsafetyandsystemqualityandmeasuringandreportingoutcomes.NegativestatisticsWhilethepercentageofpeoplereportingverygoodorexcellenthealthhasrisenslightlyfromtheyearpreviousto54percentwithnumbersofsmokersanddangerousdrinkersfallingtheNWTstillrankshighestinCanadaforsmokingratesbingedrinkingandsuicide.Mortalityratesforin-fantsandpreventableill-nessescontinuetobeamongthehighestinthecountryalongwiththerateofinjuryhospitalizationswhicharetwicethenationalaverage.BeaufortDeltaHealthandSocialServicesAuthorityBudget43207000Population7000acrossAklavikFortMcPhersonInuvikPaulatukSachsHarbourTsiigehtchicTuktoyaktukandUlukhaktok.DehchoHealthandSocialServicesAuthorityBudget19115000Population3400acrossFortSimpsonFortLiardFortProvidenceFortSimpsonHayRiverReserveJeanMarieRiverKakisaTroutLakeandWrigley.FortSmithHealthandSocialServicesAuthorityBudget17275000Population2500HayRiverHealthandSocialServicesAuthorityBudget27892000Population3800inEnterpriseandHayRiver.Thoughincidentsoftubercu-losishavedroppedcasesofMSRAsuperbugssharplyincreasedintheNWTalongwithsexuallytransmittedinfections.Theratesofchronicdis-easesuchasdiabetesandcancerarealsoontherise.FortypercentofadmissionstoNWThospitalscontinuetoberelatedtochronicdis-easesthatcouldbepreventedorbettermanaged.HSShasjoinedwiththeCanadianFoundationforHealthcareImprovementtocompleteasetofpilotproj-ectstondbetterwaysofmanagingchronicdiseasesfocusingondiabetesmentalhealthandrenalcarekid-neyhealth.System-widecohesionThereiscurrentlynostan-dardizedsupportsystemforremotecommunitiesintheNWTtoensurehealthprac-titionershaveasinglepointofcontactwhentheyneedassistancewithurgentclini-calsupport.InresponseHSShasbeguntoimplementanewservicecalledMed-Responsewhichwillgivehealthcareworkersasinglenumbertocallfor24-houremergencysupportac-cesstoapractitionerandairambulanceservice.Workisalsounderwaytoin-tegratethemedicalrecordsys-temacrosstheboardincludingthedigitizationofx-raysview-ableinotherprovinceswithin35minutesandthecreationofaterritory-wideElectronicMedicalRecordEMRsys-temallowinginformationonpatientstobesharedeasilyandquicklybetweenclinicalproviders.System-widerenovationsareineffectseeing36millioninupgradesandretrotsacrosstheterritoryfromlong-termcarefacilitiestohealthcentresandover17percentofbiomedicalequipmentreplacedattheendofitslifecycle.Workonestablishingaphar-maceuticalstrategytomanagetheuseofprescriptiondrugsacrosstheterritoryisstillonthebooksbuthasbeendelayed.CommunitywellnessAmajorkeytounlockingfuturesuccesswithinthedepartmentisthenewfund-ingarrangementwithHealthCanadaforcommunity-basedwellnessprogramswhichallowcommunitiestore-ceivemulti-yearfundingforself-designedwellnesspro-gramsdevelopedthroughlocalconsultations.Severalcommunitieshavealreadycompletedtheirwell-nessplansanditisantici-patedthateverycommunity2012-13OPERATINGBUDGETSBYAUTHORITYPhotocourtesyofHSSGNWTintheNWTwillhavedonesobytheendofthe2013-14scalyear.TheplanningisbeingdoneunderanewdivisionofHSSidentiedforAborigi-nalHealthandCommunityWellnesswhoseteamworkswithcommunitygroupsandAboriginalgovernmentsonidentifyingtheirpriorities.CuttingbackthedecitThedepartmentspent372millionin2012-13withover247millionor66percentgoingdirectlytotheregionalauthorities.Everyauthorityreportedadecitlastyeartotalling5.8millionforthetotaldepart-ment.Addedtopreviousde-citsthecurrentaccumulateddecitisnow19.1million.Humanresourcescon-tinuetobethemostsigni-cantcosttothedepartmentmakingup67percentoftotalexpenditures.Medicaltravelisalsoasignicantcost-driverforthesystemtotalling30.7mil-lionin2012-13though12.4millionwaspaidforbythirdparties.LastyearHSSalsospentalmost19milliononplacementsforNorthernersinsouthernfacilitiesunavail-ableintheNWTanumberthatincreasedby18percentfromtheyearprevious.InordertocutcostsHSSislookingtodistancehealthprovisionwherepossible.TheStantonhealthauthorityre-centlypartneredwiththede-partmentofpsychiatryatDal-housieUniversitytoprovidetele-psychiatrytopatientsinneedofpsychiatriccare.Useoftelehealthisalsoontherise.Thenumberofresidentsservedbytelephoneincreasedfrom1614in2011-12to1951in2012-13.HSSintendstoincreasethenum-berofresidentsservedby5percenteachyear.Morechildrenthaneverbefore87.5percentarere-ceivingsocialservicesintheirhomecommunitiesalongwiththosereceivinghomecare.Thoseabletostayintheirhomecommunitiesforhomecarehaveincreasedfrom1973to2071inthelastyear.Stilltherehavebeendelaysinimplementingacompre-hensiveandmodernmedicaltravelpolicyandprogramandno-showsforappointmentscontinuetobeaproblem.Thoughnumbersofmissedappointmentsdecreasedforspecialistsno-showsfornursepractitionersandfamilyphy-sicianshaveincreased.SahtuHealthandSocialServicesAuthorityBudget12716000Population2700acrossColvilleLakeDlneFortGoodHopeNormanWellsandTulita.TchCommunityServicesAgencyBudget13060000Population3000acrossBehchokGamtWekwetandWhat.YellowknifeHealthandSocialServicesAuthorityBudget51398000Population20900acrossDettahFortResolu-tionutselkeNDiloandYellowknife.StantonTerritorialHealthAuthorityYellowknifeBudget116745000.PopulationItservestheentireterritoryalongwithresidentsoftheKitikmeotregioninNunavut.ThedepartmentofHealthandSocialServiceshasanaccumulateddecitofover19million.