Regional health authorities will now be required to meet new caps on corporate spending, as well as new requirements for public expense reporting, to ensure patient services and care remain the top priority in all health facilities. This announcement was made by Health Minister Erin Selby.
“The most critical investments in health care go toward our patients and their families in making sure the medical care they need is there for them,” said Minister Selby. “These changes will ensure regional health authorities’ spending is focused on supporting front-line care, translating to improved financial transparency and accountability in the health-care system as a whole.”
These new measures come into effect April 1.
New regulations cap corporate spending by rural regional health authorities at 3.99 per cent of the total budget and at 4.99 per cent for the Northern Regional Health Authority.
These requirements build on the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s corporate spending cap of 2.99 per cent of the total budget, introduced in 2011. The Winnipeg region’s corporate spending costs are now down to 2.54 per cent.
In addition, regional health authorities and health corporations such as hospitals and personal care homes will be required to annually report the expenses of the most senior executive of the hospital or personal care home to the public, beginning this year. As required under legislation, this information will be publicly available on the regional health authority’s website, effective June 30.
These new measures build on ongoing efforts to improve efficiency in health delivery and reduce administrative spending, the minister said.
In 2012, the province introduced legislation reducing the number of regional health authorities to five from 11. That resulted in over 100 fewer regional executive and board positions and over $10 million in savings being reinvested in supporting front-line care, the minister said.
She also noted further steps will soon be introduced to further improve financial transparency and accountability including ways for the public to become involved in the decisions about the provision of health-care services.
For more information about regional health authorities in Manitoba, visit www.gov.mb.ca/health/rha.
