The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

e t s C eA ce ., Ne OOE e BCmR oCE o C T V C P °* C EiA Oe 9 ie 96 i Cw Donations help support new pro grams » Continued from page 8 The Accent Reduction Program was develâ€" oped to assist adults to reduce speech patterns or strong accents associated with English as a second language. It was also designed to help remove barriers to communication, and enhance business and social effectiveness. The program is staffed by a Speechâ€"Language Pathologist with specialized training in foreign accents. COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND EDUCATION The Charitable Corporation is funding a oneâ€" page publication on the Hospital‘s activities. The publication appears as a regular monthly feature in the Oakville Beaver. Entitled "The Pulse of the Community", this oneâ€"page feature highlights news and information designed to improve comâ€" munity awareness about the services supplied by OTMH. Moving away from the traditional role of a hosâ€" pital, OTMH is planning each change and innovaâ€" tion with the vision of becoming a centre of wellâ€" ness. As governments deal with spiraling debt, more emphasis is placed on creating and mainâ€" taining good health. 42 T NM@WHM {002000% gm%% The Auxiliary to OTMH made its second $1 million pledge to the hospital‘s New Equipment Fundraising Campaign. LIFELINE Security and independence at home...The Home Emergency Lifeline Program of Halton (HELP) is a communityâ€"based program which enables individuâ€" als who are medically at risk or physically disabled to live at home. The program is based on a waterâ€" proof, portable button which is worn around the neck or wrist, and when pressed, automatically transmits a call for assistance. Trained staff at OTMH are available 24 hours a day to monitor calls. The program started in October 1990 with generous financial support from the four Rotary Clubs of Oakville. The OTMH Charitable Corporation is conâ€" tinuing to support the HELP program. DEVELOPMENT Development is a continuing quest for donations and support. For more information on how you or your business can help, please contact the OTMH Charitable Corporation Development Office at 338â€" 4642. The Diagnostic Imaging Department is now equipped with a Colour Flow Doppler Ultrasound machine thanks to funds raised by the Auxiliary to OTMH. A > > > > > » > > > 3 Challenges and opportunities Restructuring and redeployment initiatives of financial constraints resulting in the need for proactive and creative soluâ€" tions. Many of these initiatives were collaboâ€" rative in nature and often required the cooperâ€" ation of numerous staff members. In particular, the Social Contract process imposed significant financial burdens on the operations of the Hospital. Specifically, OTMH was faced with a savings target of $1.6 million requiring staff input and suggesâ€" tions as to how to balance the budget. These suggestions were forwarded for review by the Fiscal Advisory Committee and a Social Contract Plan was posted compliant with the regulation deadline of August 1, 1993. As a result of this dialogue, the plan for employees was built on the foundation of teamwork and collective efforts to avoid the negative implications of having to resort to layoffs or unpaid days off. Due to our meeting prescribed deadlines and plan requirements, we were successful in achieving a 20% reduction to the target â€" a savings of $238,200. /o. OTMH F iscal ‘93â€"‘94 proved challenging in view In fact, due to the tremendous efforts of our staff, physicians and auxillians, the ‘float day‘ that was previously deleted was reinstatâ€" ed in full, thus contributing to further collective goodwill. Initiatives to provide the skills and training necessary to meet the everâ€"changing operaâ€" tional requirements continue to be provided. In fact, to date, 29 employees have been retrained and provided with new skills (at full hospital expense) in order to utilize valuable expertise and avoid layoffs. As well, reconstruction has necessitated the amalgamation of different services and staff have once again been provided with the necessary skills to contribute to quality patient care. Further developments in this area will include the concept of ‘multiâ€"skilling‘ which again will ensure staff are prepared to be flexible in the midst of service delivery changes and new efficiencies. The concept of teamwork and our quest for ‘continuous improvement‘ can best be seen in concerted efforts to improve sick time. Developed as a pilot project and launched on April 1, 1993, was an Attendance Awareness Incentive Program. This program consists of quarterly draws and a yearâ€"end attendance bonus to reward our fullâ€"time employees who display good and regular attendance patterns. In fact, the program proved very successful and staff embraced the concept wholeheartedly. As a result of all staff ‘pulling together‘, sick time costs were reduced by approximately $400,000. A total of 146 employees received yearâ€" end attendance bonus cheques of $200 each. Due to the popularity of the program, it will be reâ€"run with similar results expected. Award recipients were honoured at a short ceremony on April 22, 1993, where certificates of achievement and cheques were presented. Another initiative that was implemented to coincide with the Social Contract process was the offering of a Voluntary Early Retirement Program. As a strictly voluntary offering, eligible employees were provided with a financial proâ€" gram, group seminar and individual counâ€" selling in order to personally assess whether retirement was an option at this stage in their career. ~ During the first two years of the three year offering, thirteen employees accepted the program and this has contributed significantly to attrition requirements. As health care shifts continue and further opportunities present themselves, new redeâ€" ployment initiatives will be required to position our staff resources accordingly. D Annual Report 19931994