Kingston Health Sciences Centre is currently running a $3.8 million deficit to date for the 2020- 2021 fiscal year.
These numbers run from the beginning of April to the end of September, representing half of the fiscal year.
The deficit breaks down into two main categories: just over $10M spent on COVID-19 related issues and decreased revenues from elective surgeries being shut down at the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Elizabeth Bardon, vice-president of mission and strategy integration and support services with KHSC, says elective surgeries are on the road to being back on track.
“We certainly are still trying to deliver as many surgeries as we can,” she said. “We’ve been opening back in our O.R.’s over the last number of months so we can really create that through put for surgeries.”
Included in that is ambulatory services, says Bardon.
“Which does include things like imaging, diagnostic imaging procedures as well and there’s been a lot of very innovative work by our clinical teams to try and catch up on some of the things we knew we had significant slowdowns on,” she explained.
The other half of the equation is direct costs related to COVID-19 spending, adding up to $10.1 million.
Broken down, KHSC has spent $4.4 million hiring more staff, $1.1 million for supplies like personal protective equipment and $1.6 million to create and supply the assessment centres.
“We have to have access control and screeners at our entrances and we’re running the assessment centres which is a big draw on nursing and other professional staff,” Bardon said.
Bardon says the existing deficit isn’t unusual or uncommon at this point in the fiscal year.
“We are often in a deficit position this time of year but we end the year balanced or even in a small surplus.”
Bardon says a clearer picture of where KHSC actually sits fiscally will become more clear in the coming months.
“Sometimes some of our one time funding doesn’t even arrive until November or December,” she said.
KHSC’s overall annual budget is approximately $600 million.