The OHA Prevails

Initially published in the Alliston Herald on August 29, 2008

It would seem that the provincially appointed supervisor of Huronia District Hospital in Midland, Dr. Kevin Smith, is going to attempt to foist a similar form of governance structure upon that hospital as has been imposed upon the members of Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) by its' supervisor, Mark Rochon.

This model mandates that the existing members of the hospital society will be deprived of their right to vote on all matters of hospital business including the election of new board members.

In making his announcement, Smith pronounced that he has decided upon a "skill's based board" to address "accountability and transparency concerns." As if reciting the mantra once was insufficient, Smith added that the board would be "fully transparent".

Does all of this sound vaguely familiar? It should. Mark Rochon has been quoted as saying his model will ensure a "skill's based board" and has similarly made multiple references to "transparency".

Might these two be working from the same script?

Whereas the residents of New Tecumseth and surrounding area appear to have accepted their disenfranchisement with barely a whimper, the reaction of those in the Midland area has been the polar opposite.

The latter have initiated a petition; planned a protest that will make its way to the legislature; and, have expressed their condemnation of the proposal as "asinine", "unacceptable", "elitist" and "condescending."

A little over one year ago I was one of a small group from the Committee of Concerned Citizens who met, on two occasions, with the Ontario Deputy Minister of Health, Ron Sapsford. In the course of these meetings it seemed to me that Sapsford looked upon the notion that a community would have a democratic voice in the operation of its hospital with enormous disdain.

As one colleague commented, "the Deputy Minister appeared to view democracy with the same prissy fastidiousness as a 'schoolmarm' would regard a fresh dog turd in the middle of her classroom."

This past week I, along with substantially the same group from the Committee of Concerned Citizens, met with Rochon to discuss the new governance model. Unfortunately, it was apparent within minutes that Rochon hadn't the slightest intention of modifying his foul and undemocratic design.

In my column of three weeks ago I noted that one should not be surprised with the governance structure imposed by Rochon given that he happens to be the chair of the Ontario Hospital Association ("OHA"). The column referred to the fact that governance is one of the key objectives/directives of the OHA. It also highlighted the OHA's emphasis on media relations as being of "utmost importance".

It was in this context that I was unable to hold my tongue when, in the course of the recent meeting, Rochon made reference to everything being about "good health care." With some agitation, I interjected with words to the effect that whereas "good health care" sounds quite lovely, there was absolutely no correlation between his governance structure and good health care. Rochon's response, "Fine. That's your opinion."

It remains my firm belief that thesecond vice chair OHA, a group loaded with hospital CEO's and administrators, regard democracy by members of a community in the operation of their local hospital as a malodorous intrusion into their turf.

However, what I find particularly objectionable is the use of fluffy language and words such as "transparent", "accountable" and "good health care" to apparently justify disenfranchisement as necessary. That's poppycock.

By the way, whereas Mark Rochon is the chair of the OHA, the Huronia District Hospital supervisor, Kevin Smith, is the second vice chair of that same organization. The Deputy Minister of Health, Ron Sapsford, was previously vice president and chief operating officer of the OHA.