Natalie Bubela,CEO of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare, speaks at Rotary

in January 2011, is a nurse by background and holds a BNSc from Queen's University in Kingston and a Masters of Science Applied Degree from McGill University in Montreal. She has earned her Certified Health Executive Certification from the Canadian College of Health Service Executives, is a member of the American College of Health Care Executives and an Accreditation Canada surveyor.

Natalie presented our meeting with a comprehensive review of the current status of the Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare system that is delivered by the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital and the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital.

There are 718 employees; 85 active physicians; 360 volunteers with a total budget of 73 million. Total patients admitted per year 4775; emergency visits /year 44835; ambulatory visits / year 25576; and surgeries 7765.

She told us that there are seven key services that are delivered by one or the other hospitals; Urology; Obstetrics; Dialysis Clinic; Diabetes Centers; District Stroke Center; Ophthalmology and Oncology Clinic.

The Muskoka Algonquin healthcare have worked through a strategic planning session identifying their mission, vision and their values, which is all necessary to determine how the local health care system can meet the needs of our population and capitalize on the government funding that has changed dramatically as the province is trying to balance their books and therefore the amount of money coming to the healthcare system is being re-directed and reduced. The planning process Natalie told us, it is a very long-term activity of five stages. Plans that are put in place today will come to be realized for equipment and services provided, long after she has retired.

 She told us that our hospital operational system and patient records are out-dated. She related to us about connecting people and care with technology. New equipment or technology assists in creating seamless integrated communication between our patients, their families, the care team and the Hospital system. It permits access to information at anytime from anywhere, which will provide better safer quality care.

In her outline of how our work hospitals will have to budget for expansions, new equipment and facilities, she complimented the ongoing efforts of the Huntsville Hospital Auxiliary who have just finished raising the necessary dollars to purchase the digital mammography unit. She also thanked the efforts of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation as they continue to raise money each year from our community at large to assist the hospital in purchasing necessary equipment to keep our hospital updated to meet the needs of our community.

For most of us who use our Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare facilities, we have little idea of the full-time efforts that the CEO, their supporting doctors and committees are doing to continue to improve, update    and keep our facilities in top-notch care units for us to use.

Pres. Len Ross thanked Natalie Bubela for coming to our club to update us on her role as the CEO of our Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare facilities.