Getting Ready to shift the blame

Healthcare in Saskatchewan:

Getting ready for re-reengineering and shifting the blame

By Mario deSantis, November 2, 1999

The recent resignation of Gord Nystuen⁽¹⁾, president of the Saskatchewan Health Information

Minister of Health, is beginning to understand the incompetence of her own ministry Network (SHIN), was the initial tangible signal of a governmental campaign to cover up the

financial flop of the SHIN project. The covering up of the financial disasters caused by health

reform is not stopping with the SHIN project. In fact, Pat Atkinson, Minister of Health, is

beginning to understand the incompetence of her own ministry, of the Saskatchewan Association of

Health Organizations (SAHO), of the Health Services Utilization and Research Commission

(HSURC)⁽²⁾, and in an unprecedented move has called for an outside review of the Regina Health

district's $22.5 million operating deficit⁽³⁾. Atkinson said that the review will be conducted by Bert

Boyd of British Columbia, a competent health management consultant who has served as CEO for

both health regions and hospitals. Also, Atkinson said that the review will investigate how to make

the boards more accountable and will explore whether the government should have more direct

involvement in the affairs of health boards.

Health reform have failed in Saskatchewan, and the Atkinson's solution for failure is more

her board was able to afford the $40 million overrun caused by the closure of the Plains Health Centre management by confusion⁽⁴⁾ and more re-engineering by outside consultants. This government

would have had more accountable boards if these boards would have been allowed to assert their

own authorities and responsibilities as per the District Health Act and away from behaving as

puppets of both the government and SAHO. Further, in response to Atkinson's review, Regina

board chair Anita Bergman has stated "...We welcome the opportunity to demonstrate to a third

party the service demands that are placed on us by the public and the government, and the

underfunding which forces us to operate in a deficit position..." I wonder why Anita Bergman

doesn't demonstrate how her board was able to afford the $40 million overrun caused by the

closure of the Plains Health Centre⁽⁵⁾.

major causes of the health crisis is due to the corrupted policy Healthcare expenditures were approximately 33% of the governmental expenditures in 1993

and today, while we are experiencing a health care crisis, they have increased to approximately

40%. Therefore, the major cause of the health care crisis is not necessarily underfunding as

stated by Anita Bergman and most other health care leaders and governmental politicians. One

of the major causes of the health crisis is due to the corrupted policy directions of this

government⁽⁶⁾ and of the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations⁽⁷⁾⁽⁸⁾.

------------Endnotes:

1.
-
Saskatchewan Health Information Network: Gord Nystuen leaves his post to cover his assets, by Mario deSantis, October 23, 1999

2.
--
Fragmented Research comes to the help of Saskatchewan Reform, by Mario deSantis, September 28, 1999

3.
-
Deficit review of health district makes SAHO nervous, by Bonny Braden, The StarPhoenix, October 30, 1999

4.
-
The Saga of Health Reform: Pat Atkinson Wants Fewer Health Boards and Fully Appointed Boards, by Mario deSantis and reviewed by James deSantis, October 16, 1999

5.
-
Premier Romanow: playing the number game. Publicizing the 22% salary increase and covering up the $40 million overrun, by Mario deSantis, April 19, 1999

6.
-
-
-
One example of corrupted governmental source: Neil Gardner has been a long time fixture of Saskatchewan Health, first as Associate Deputy Minister and later as Chief of Information Technologies. In 1993 I met with Neil Gardner and he explained to me how busy he was in designing the so called Healthcare Computer Architecture, today's SHIN.

7.
-
-
Letter dated April 28, 1997 from Mario deSantis directed to all Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of Saskatchewan District Health Boards. Re: Computerization of Health Care Payroll and Economic Policies. http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/desam/paper-letterToChairsCEOs-Apr28-97.htm

8.
-
Letter dated May 7, 1997 from McKercher McKercher & Whitmore and response by Mario deSantis http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/desam/paper-letters-McKercher-deSantis-May97.htm

Healthcare in Saskatchewan: Getting ready for re-reengineering and shifting the blame
*By Mario deSantis, November 2, 1999*

	The recent resignation of Gord Nystuen⁽¹⁾, president of the Saskatchewan Health Information
Minister of Health, is beginning to understand the incompetence of her own ministry	Network (SHIN), was the initial tangible signal of a governmental campaign to cover up the
	financial flop of the SHIN project. The covering up of the financial disasters caused by health
	reform is not stopping with the SHIN project. In fact, Pat Atkinson, Minister of Health, is
	beginning to understand the incompetence of her own ministry, of the Saskatchewan Association of
	Health Organizations (SAHO), of the Health Services Utilization and Research Commission
	(HSURC)⁽²⁾, and in an unprecedented move has called for an outside review of the Regina Health
	district's $22.5 million operating deficit⁽³⁾. Atkinson said that the review will be conducted by Bert
	Boyd of British Columbia, a competent health management consultant who has served as CEO for
	both health regions and hospitals. Also, Atkinson said that the review will investigate how to make
	the boards more accountable and will explore whether the government should have more direct
	involvement in the affairs of health boards.

	Health reform have failed in Saskatchewan, and the Atkinson's solution for failure is more
her board was able to afford the $40 million overrun caused by the closure of the Plains Health Centre	management by confusion⁽⁴⁾ and more re-engineering by outside consultants. This government
	would have had more accountable boards if these boards would have been allowed to assert their
	own authorities and responsibilities as per the District Health Act and away from behaving as
	puppets of both the government and SAHO. Further, in response to Atkinson's review, Regina
	board chair Anita Bergman has stated "...We welcome the opportunity to demonstrate to a third
	party the service demands that are placed on us by the public and the government, and the
	underfunding which forces us to operate in a deficit position..." I wonder why Anita Bergman
	doesn't demonstrate how her board was able to afford the $40 million overrun caused by the
	closure of the Plains Health Centre⁽⁵⁾.

major causes of the health crisis is due to the corrupted policy	Healthcare expenditures were approximately 33% of the governmental expenditures in 1993
	and today, while we are experiencing a health care crisis, they have increased to approximately
	40%. Therefore, the major cause of the health care crisis is not necessarily underfunding as
	stated by Anita Bergman and most other health care leaders and governmental politicians. One
	of the major causes of the health crisis is due to the corrupted policy directions of this
	government⁽⁶⁾ and of the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations⁽⁷⁾⁽⁸⁾.

------------Endnotes:

1. -	Saskatchewan Health Information Network: Gord Nystuen leaves his post to cover his assets, by Mario deSantis, October 23, 1999

2. --	Fragmented Research comes to the help of Saskatchewan Reform, by Mario deSantis, September 28, 1999

3. -	Deficit review of health district makes SAHO nervous, by Bonny Braden, The StarPhoenix, October 30, 1999

4. -	The Saga of Health Reform: Pat Atkinson Wants Fewer Health Boards and Fully Appointed Boards, by Mario deSantis and reviewed by James deSantis, October 16, 1999

5. -	Premier Romanow: playing the number game. Publicizing the 22% salary increase and covering up the $40 million overrun, by Mario deSantis, April 19, 1999

6. - - -	One example of corrupted governmental source: Neil Gardner has been a long time fixture of Saskatchewan Health, first as Associate Deputy Minister and later as Chief of Information Technologies. In 1993 I met with Neil Gardner and he explained to me how busy he was in designing the so called Healthcare Computer Architecture, today's SHIN.

7. - -	Letter dated April 28, 1997 from Mario deSantis directed to all Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of Saskatchewan District Health Boards. Re: Computerization of Health Care Payroll and Economic Policies. http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/desam/paper-letterToChairsCEOs-Apr28-97.htm

8. -	Letter dated May 7, 1997 from McKercher McKercher & Whitmore and response by Mario deSantis http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/desam/paper-letters-McKercher-deSantis-May97.htm