As the controversial health care overhaul continues, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has announced its first surplus in more than five years.
The WRHA has reported $420,000 surplus in the 2017-18 fiscal year.
“Our results for 2017 / 2018 demonstrated that we could spend within our allocated budget and achieve improvement while supporting quality and safe care,” said Real Cloutier, interm president of the WRHA.
The last time the books were balanced was in 2011. Last year’s deficit was more than $28 million.
“You may recall that the Health sustainability review undertaken by KPMG highlighted that Manitoba was one of the highest per capita spenders on health care and we were at the bottom in terms of our ED wait times,” said Cloutier.
He noted many of the changes were made in primary care services to support people in the community, rather than hospital-based care.
Cloutier also added the change in prioritizing home care recorded historic lows in patients waiting for personal care homes while in hospital.
The changes also saw improved emergency department wait times by the end of the year, according to Cloutier.
“These were difficult changes and healthcare staff, physicians and administrative leaders demonstrated their ability to adapt, innovate and provide good quality and compassionate care during this period of change,” said Cloutier.
He said the changes in Winnipeg health care will continue until the fall of 2019.