Health Investment Fund Details Released

The government today released detailed spending estimates for the three-year $600-million Health Investment Fund, which Health Minister Jim Smith said has the approval of every major health organization in Nova Scotia.

At a Halifax news conference with CEOs of major hospitals and regional health boards, the minister emphasized that the investment in health is a collaborative effort involving the entire health care sector.

"It is essential that we work together every step of the way. That is the road to success."

Dr. Smith said the government came to the health investment idea following the business planning process undertaken by the major hospitals and regional health boards.

That process identified where significant investments were needed in health care. But it also concluded that significant cuts were required in order to bring costs in line with the provincial budget in a traditional way. Those cuts would include closing hospital bed and laying off employees.

"The government rejected that option," said Dr. Smith. "We chose instead to try something new, something bold. We chose to invest in our health care system, to provide hospitals with secure funding, to invest in other care options that will relieve the burden on our hospitals, to put in place the appropriate management and patient care tools that can allow us to bring health care's rising costs under control."

The health minister released supporting documentation showing how the strategic investments contemplated under the fund will, over time, reduce the rate at which health care costs have been climbing.

For example, in Nova Scotia and across Canada, up to 60 per cent of patients cared for in acute care hospitals would receive better, more appropriate care in alternative settings, such as home care or rehabilitation facilities. Conservatively estimated, the transition from acute care to an alternative level of care, where appropriate, would save Nova Scotian taxpayers up to $60 million every year.

The province is investing some $70 million over the next three years to put the pieces in place that will allow this to happen.

Among other investments from the fund detailed today are:

• $30 million for new hospital equipment
• $48 million to improve community-based health care options
• $25 million to train health care professionals
• $75 million to build a provincewide information system that will help ensure best patient practices and improve overall management of the system