A salient point of fiscal year 2006/2007 was by all means the launching of a major fundraising campaign for the hospital master plan redevelopment project. Indeed, in October 2006, the Hospital management presented to the Hospital and the Foundation Boards of Directors a plan showing the community's required contribution to this important capital project. Following these presentations and under the leadership of Mr. Wayne Assaly, a campaign cabinet was formed with the mandate of raising some $7 million. The total cost of the project represents an investment of almost $29 million. This project, which is essential to the growth of the actual and future hospital services, will ensure and solidify the strategic position of our hospital.

In November 2006, the President and the Chief Executive Officer of the Local Health Integrated Network Services, namely Mr. Michel Lalonde and Doctor Robert Cushman, presented to the Board of Directors the objectives of the LHIN, the possible regional relations between the various agencies and especially the primary role that the Hospital Board of Directors must play in the integration of health care services. The Board of Directors is reassured that the vision of the Champlain LHIN goes hand in hand with the Hospital mission, which reads:

"Lives saved, lives improved, lives prolonged and lives lost, without loss of dignity."

The implication of our hospital at the regional level was once more in the center of our activities during the last months. Indeed, this implication will enable us to be in harmony with the objectives of the Champlain LHIN in the potential transformation of the health care system. We are presently taking part in more than twenty regional committees discussing the many services to offer to our community. These committees, to name a few, are:

• The Regional Cancer Care Ontario Committee;
• The Regional End-of-Life Committee;
• The Regional Mental Health Committee;
• The Champlain Regional Stroke Committee;
• The Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association;
• The Regional Diagnostic Imaging Committee.

During fiscal year 2006/2007, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care financed the addition or the upgrading of certain services and recognized the appreciation of some others by granting pilot projects. The following is the list of additional fundings granted to the hospital:

• Diabetic Program - $9,000
• Emergency Room - $95,000;
• Population Growth - $524,000;
• Infection Control - $40,000;
• Late Nursing Career Program - $15,000;
• Hospital Infrastructure Renewal Program - $151,300;
• Pilot project (in partnership with the Champlain CCAC) for the Emergency Room decongestion - $356,000;
• Pilot project for the development of a strategy of human resources in health which aims at interprofessional relations, mentorship and training of health professionals - $359,000.

Another outstanding and important hospital event was the employees and physicians recognition day, which takes place in February of each year. During the evening, employees are recognized for their years of services at the hospital. This year, we were proud to recognize fifty-two employees and physicians. More than thirty of them had more than twenty years of service and ten had more than thirty years of service.

All these employees and physicians, like all those working at the hospital, demonstrate by the longevity of their work at the hospital, a profound sense to serve their community and we are happy to express once more our deepest appreciation to all of them.

The hospital also recognizes during a special evening, the volunteers who persevere day after day giving their time to the patients, the employees and the physicians. The difference they make is incommensurable. The Board of Directors wishes to express its gratitude to these people who are omnipresent at the hospital.

In December 2006, the Board of Directors accepted with regret the resignation of Mr. André O. Rodier, Chief Executive Officer. During his stay of more than six years at the employment of the hospital, Mr. Rodier maintained our hospital at the forefront of local, regional and provincial levels. The Board wishes to reiterate the great contribution of Mr. Rodier who served our community.

The Board immediately created a Succession Planning Committee and developed a transition plan to ensure the daily operations. We retained the services of a consulting firm responsible for the recruitment of senior management employees. Following a rigorous process for the selection of the next Chief Executive Officer, the Board announced on April 4th the hiring of Mr. Marc LeBoutillier as Chief Executive Officer of our Hospital. The latter brings with him more than 25 years of experience in the health care related field, at the public and private levels. We are confident that Mr. LeBoutillier will be able to maintain our hospital in the center of the provincial hospital action. Welcome among us, Mr. LeBoutillier.

In December 2006, in view of improving the services in the Emergency Room, the Board of Directors agreed to a major investment comprising the redesign of the Emergency Department, and even more importantly, the addition of human resources in order to better serve the patients. The approved plan included three elements, that is:

1. Ensure the presence of a second physician to accelerate the service during specific periods of the day and to cover ambulance transfers;
2. Add a registered nurse to each work shift, seven days per week, dedicated at all times to the triage and to the management of the Emergency waiting room;
3. Redesign the Emergency Room space inside the department to create two to four additional examination / treatment rooms.

During my short stay as Acting Chief Executive Officer, I appreciated the unconditional support of the Chief Governance Officer, the members of the Board of Directors, the Leadership Team and all the hospital employees. I am most grateful to you and I sincerely thank you all. The transitional period is now ending and the momentum given to the organization during the last months is now being passed on to the new CEO, Mr. Marc LeBoutillier, whom I welcome among us.

I allow myself at this time to briefly address the current year. Indeed, the Hawkesbury General Hospital will undertake during this fiscal year the digitalization of clinical information. After several years of preparation and management information investments, time has come to allow health care stakeholders to easily obtain all clinical information required for patient treatment. The model, which was developed by our organization, will be exportable at a regional level. It will comprise a clinical information access component from other hospitals. In phase I of the project, the clinical information of The Ottawa Hospital will be available simultaneously with local clinical information. This will reduce the duplication of requested examinations and will allow faster diagnosis information.

I am proud of the numerous achievements made by our hospital during the last year and I wish to sincerely thank all the personnel, the physicians and the volunteers involved in this success. I am confident that we are in an excellent position to continue this momentum towards achieving our mission.

Hélène Parisien
Chief Governance Officer

Luc Séguin
Acting Chief Executive Officer