by Karen Morgan, Executive Director, SPHF –
We now have significant gaps in healthcare on the Peninsula, many of which are created or exacerbated because of the current shortage of family physicians. We see it at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital, when patients wait for hours to be seen in the Emergency Room. We’ve been seeing it in the struggle to keep family physicians engaged in delivering hospital services. The Saanich Peninsula employs a rural medical model, which means that the physicians in the community also staff the hospital (with the exception of the Operating Rooms). Physician shortages in the community threaten the survival of the hospital. This is now the critical problem in not only our healthcare system, but also our community. It was foreseen but not addressed for almost two decades.
A couple of years ago, the Board of the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation took a close look at the Foundation’s work and asked the question “Is the community still passionate about us?” Board members thought about the motivation to create our charity (we want the best healthcare for the Saanich Peninsula, close to home) and how the definition of “the best healthcare” has changed. In 1985 (the year the Foundation became a charity), it was hard to get and keep hospitals and specialists, but family physicians were plentiful. Oh, how the times have changed!
Why do Canadians give to charity? Imagine Canada and Statistics Canada report that 79% of Canadians surveyed want to “support a cause they feel passionately about or that benefited their loved ones” and 63% (respondents could pick more than one) want to “support projects in their community.”
After thinking deeply about what the best healthcare is now, the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation has decided to redefine its mission more broadly and change its name to the Saanich Peninsula Hospital and Healthcare Foundation. I know: it’s not an exciting new name, and it’s a bigger mouthful when we answer the phone, but we wanted to reassure donors and friends that the hospital remains front and centre in our work.
That said, we also want to help in the efforts to recruit new doctors to family practice and hospital service. And along the way, we hope to also help some other, smaller healthcare community-based organizations better serve your needs, or those of your family.
Over the years, our donors have trusted us to be responsible with their gifts. If you want a donation to go to a specific cause, whether in the hospital or in the community, we will work to make that happen. Your passion is our passion, and we will always honour your wishes.
