Glynn report points way to smoother relations between U of S & SDH

The U of S Health Sciences Advisory Council released its report April 24 on proposed improvements in the way the College of Medicine and Saskatoon District Health (SDH) work together for health services.

The study was commissioned by the Council and conducted by a three-person committee led by Dr. Peter Glynn, an expert on health care policy, planning and management, and former Assistant Deputy Minister of Health Services and Promotion with Health and Welfare Canada.

Glynn’s recommendations are designed to increase the efficiency of operating room allocations at SDH, leading to shorter waiting times and improved patient care. They would also improve the College of Medicine’s ability to recruit and retain high-quality faculty to the province.

Recommendations of the report include:

• Recognize the interdependent relationship between U of S and SDH and significantly increase collaboration in teaching, research and service.
• Integrate all academic medical staff, both part-time and full-time and create shared governance structures between SDH and the University Boards.
• Replace the current structure of separate heads of surgery for the College of Medicine and SDH and create a Joint Chief of Surgical Services position reporting to the Physician Vice-President at SDH and the Dean of Medicine. The Joint Chief of Surgical Services will implement a new and more equitable Operating Room booking system.
• Initiate a review of the District surgical waiting times to establish a new system of allocation and scheduling fundamentally based upon patient need as well as a surgeon’s waiting list length, teaching, research and administrative/leadership activities.

This report is a more detailed extension of the work carried out by Dr. Tom Noseworthy in 1999, which was an overall review of the role of the College of Medicine and its relationship with the rest of the health care system.

Many of the observations are also consistent with those made by Ken Fyke in his recently-released report on Medicare. For example, both Glynn and Fyke say Saskatoon should be designated an "Academic Health District" with a governance structure different from the other Saskatchewan health districts. The Glynn report also echoed Fyke’s call for urgent action.

Marcel de la Gorgendière, Chair of the Health Sciences Advisory Council, says, "We acknowledge there are current problems in the way we work together and this report provides us with some useful recommendations. We are all committed to resolving these issues in the months ahead."

Jim Fergusson, President of Saskatoon District Health, commends the independent review team for its thorough and insightful report. Fergusson adds: "The District commits itself to working with the other partners in implementing the report recommendations. The significant changes put forth will enhance our relationships with our partners and improve patient care."

College of Medicine Dean David Popkin says, "I am pleased the review team recommended that the Saskatoon Health District be designated as an Academic Health District and that changes to the governance structure be made to facilitate that transition."

Implementation of the recommendations in the report will be an ongoing process beginning with a joint U of S and SDH Board meeting in May to discuss strategy. Discussions will also take place with faculty in the Departments of Surgery. Authors of the report, as well as faculty advisors from the University of Calgary, will attend and take part.

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