Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In March 2011, at the provincial/territorial/federal Ministers’ meetings, the Ministers announced that they would jointly put $48 million into stem cell research. The NWT is included in that research and will benefit from it as well.

Specific to the Stanton Territorial Hospital, we can touch base with the CEO and advise the CEO of the issue and the CEO will have that discussion with the doctor that, at any point, if the individual is indicating that they themselves don’t feel well enough to be released from the hospital, that we then have some system where the CEO and the physician would have that discussion at that one time when this occurs. I can ensure that that happens.

In our system we have quality assurances. If that is happening in the Sahtu or something that is happening outside of our clinical practice guidelines, then we will assure that individuals can go to quality assurance. We have people in each of the authorities and at the department that can be contacted. I can provide that information to the Members, or the Member specific to this question also.

Every patient that has had surgery has a plan, a care plan as they are discharged from the hospital. This could include medication, follow-up appointments, and also advising the patient to look out for certain warning signs, post-surgery warning signs, and if anything comes up, they are to report back to the clinic. I will just make sure that these post-surgery plans are thorough and that everyone has a clear understanding of this plan prior to leaving the hospital.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The clinical practice is to see the patient. If the patient has pain, then the practice is for the physician that is there – whether it be a nurse, nurse practitioner or doctor – to see the patient and examine the patient.

I will commit to providing the sources on advising people to get medical travel insurance. I will also commit to putting on the posters where they can get the medical travel insurance from.

If the business case is approved by the Financial Management Board, we’re hoping that the flexibility will be built into the funding by April 1st the following fiscal year, so April 1st during the 2013-2014 fiscal year is when we hope to have the flexibility built into the funding.

I definitely think it’s well worth advertising this. I think that it is something that I could advise the department to start working with the authorities to get the word out to people who are going to travel outside our jurisdiction, to ensure that they are carrying medical travel insurance. I think it would be well worth doing that, even if it only prevents one person from having to pay huge medical bills as a result of an accident or something like that.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Physician funding is restricted by the Financial Management Board, so that funding is not used elsewhere. However, we are making a business case for three authorities including the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority, to the Financial Management Board to create flexibility within physician funding.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we can keep the Member advised. Thank you.