Hospital AGM brings good fiscal news

File Photo

By Cecilia Nasmith

In spite of a deficit earlier this year, Northumberland Hills Hospital has concluded its 2025-2026 fiscal year with a $1.1-million surplus – an improvement over $0.8-million in the previous year.
The news came last week at the NHH Annual General Meeting from Michael McAllister, who chairs the board's Finance and Audit Committee (and will serve as incoming board chair).

“Like all hospitals in this province, NHH faced significant financial pressures to support operations, including volume and acuity pressures, increased labour costs, funding rates below inflationary increases and $13-million capital acquisitions during the year – that were essential acquisitions to maintaining clinical capacity and modernizing equipment and systems,” McAllister stated.

“NHH's financial position strengthened during the year, with cash balances increasing significantly and the net asset deficiency reduced to $0.3-million, reflecting improved operating results and strong cash-flow performance.

“Internal efficiencies achieved through meticulous performance improvement, disciplined cost management and operational optimization have led to a positive financial position at the end of our fiscal year,” McAllister reported.

Board Chair Cyndi Gilmer noted the “excellent volume of work that NHH continues to do,” guided by the core pillars of the hospital's strategic plan at a time when day-to-day operations are increasing complex. She offered thanks to “our dedicated staff, physicians and midwives of NHH, whose expertise, compassion and commitment make a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients every day.”

She also extended gratitude to a host of partners – the NHH Foundation and Auxiliary, the Patient and Family Advisory Council President and Chief Executive Officer Susan Walsh, Chief of Staff Dr. Paul Ketov and the Senior Leadership Team – as well as outgoing board directors Laurel Savoy and Bree Nixon and Community Committee member Mary Ann Cochetto.

A special thanks was extended to director Don Morrison – who had served as board chair 23 years ago during the construction and opening of NHH.

Walsh expounded on the hospital's shared purpose of People First.

“A defining part of NHH's identity has, and always will be, the people,” Walsh said.

“Our hospital has grown into an organization where individuals choose to begin their health-care journey and, in many instances, remain here for their entire careers. Every member of our hospital team – including volunteer partners – has shaped NHH into a place where clinical excellence, compassion and care exist cohesively.”

Walsh also spoke to many highlights in the annual report that illustrated the hospital's growth agenda to support community needs.

These include the NHH@Home program that provides eligible patients with up to 16 weeks of comprehensive home-care services; the Stroke Recovery Clinic offering in-house interdisciplinary rehabilitation and recovery services as well as the Newborn, Perinatal Reproductive Care clinic providing non-urgent outpatient services in support of both women's wellness and newborn health.

In addition to these new services, she added, “we have continued to invest in the modernization of our existing clinical infrastructure.”

In addition to the new MRI, SPECT-CT and Medical Device Reprocessing equipment upgrades, this includes the new Emergency Department Wait Time Dashboard and Self-Arrival Kiosk.

“Expansion and enhancement are not only about scale, but also the quality of care being delivered,” she continued.

“At the centre of every achievement is our people. The dedication, compassion and expertise of our physicians, staff, volunteers, patient partners and community supporters continue to shape NHH as as trusted place of care, healing and belonging.

“I am excited by the opportunities ahead as we continue to create a stronger, more connected health-care system for west Northumberland – one that will serve our community for generations to come.”

Led by Kendra Simmons (who chaired the Nominating Committee), the board endorsed their recommendation that Gavin Ivory (Ward 3), Bob Gibson (Ward 3), Ian McVicar (Ward 3) and Catharine Tozer (Ward 1) each be elected to the board for a three-year term.

Thanking the community for the strong response to their call for interest, Simmons also welcomed four new Community Committee members to the board – Carol Lancaster (Ward 1), Chad Munday (Ward 2), Lori McGrimmon (Ward 2) and Dr. Stephanie Johnston (Ward 2). The board endorsed these recommendations at its June 11 meeting.

The following reappointments of ex-officio board members were approved, all for one-year terms: Chief of Staff Dr. Paul Ketov, President and CEO Susan Walsh, Vice-President of Integrated Care and Chief Nursing Executive Kate Zimmerman, General Medical Staff Association President Dr. Kate Everdell, General Medical Staff Association Vice-President Dr. Marcus Cunnningham, NHH Foundation Board Chair Carrie Low and NHH Auxiliary President Rick Riley.

Finally, the board welcomed new ex-officio representative Bonnie McKee (PFAC Chair) for a one-year term.

Patient Experience, Public Affairs and Strategic Parnerships Vice-President Jennifer Gillard was invited to present the Heart of Experience Awards for exceptional service, an honour that originated in 2023 as a special recognition for PFAC partners' growing role in the organization.

In the Physician-Midwife category, Dr. Emma Smith was honoured for her role as integrated Quality and Safety Physician Lead and her unwavering commitment to high-quality compassionate patient-centred care.

In the Staff category, NHH Community Mental Health Services Stephanie Shuur was recognized for her “unwavering compassion, dedication and commitment to ensuring that every person she encounters feels seen, heard, valued and supported.”

In the Volunteer category, the Auxiliary's Hospital Elder Life Program team were acknowledged for their work in providing therapeutic activities, mobility and exercises, orientation, and support in such areas as nutrition, and visual and hearing devices, all delivered with kindness in one-on-one interventions.

In the Team category, the Environmental Services Team were praised for consistently bring People First to life through their dedication, pride, compassion and commitment to patient safety and experience.

The hospital's 2025-2026 annual report is now available on the hospital website.