The Bermuda Hospitals Board yesterday released an update on its financial status, including its payments on the new Acute Care Wing.

According to an accompanying statement, the board has been able to absorb the cost of payments for the new wing while improving satisfaction with emergency wait times and introducing new on-site lab tests to accelerate processing times.

The board also stated that it has maintained accreditation, improved efficiency and made improvements in stroke care, allowing stroke patients to return home three days sooner on average. BHB chairman Peter Everson said: “BHB employees are working hard to maintain high quality care in very challenging times.

“Cost savings activities over the last few years have enabled us to absorb the annual service payments for the new Acute Care Wing. In September 2015 — one year after we opened the new wing — we had met all our financial obligations.”

The statement claimed the board made $13.2 million in payments for the new wing between April 1 and September 30, 2015, along with $8.1 million in service payments between June 14, 2014 and September 30, 2014.

“Some of the savings BHB has made to meet its obligations are recurring, such as three years of budget cuts and the senior management restructure last year,” Mr Everson continued. “Following on from the management restructure, the IT department has also restructured and four positions were made redundant in November, further streamlining our workforce around BHB needs. Other savings are not sustainable. Our employees have not had a cost of living increase in recent years and repairs and maintenance — where it has been safe to do so — have been put off. This cannot continue indefinitely so work continues to implement recurrent savings that either enhance quality, or at a minimum do not impact quality of care.

“We recognise that healthcare costs in Bermuda are already too high and so the pressure is to find savings through efficiencies, repatriating overseas care, and better ways of working. Indeed, BHB recognises that public health has to be improved in order for the country to experience an affordable healthcare service and we look forward to participating in this process.”

Meanwhile, the board announced that it has once more earned accreditation through Accreditation Canada, which reviews adherence to thousands of patient safety standards with an on-site survey every four years, and the report is now available online on BHB’s website.

“BHB is measured against the same standards as 1,108 Canadian hospitals,” quality and risk management vice-president Preston Swan stated. “The ability to be measured against Canada’s home standards is a major benefit of being accredited by Accreditation Canada.”

According to Mr Swan, the survey in May last year saw BHB meet 2,999 out of the 3,209 applicable standards. Since 2008, the number of standards has increased by 1,707 and Mr Swan said: “The bar is always getting higher and this is a positive drive for patient safety in Bermuda.

“Accreditation surveys provide snapshots in time on our patient safety practices. They are guides to help us on our journey to provide a safe, high quality service.”

The survey was carried out by four healthcare professionals who spent a week in BHB departments at KEMH, the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute and the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre. BHB also has specialist accreditation with the American College of Radiation (Diagnostic Imaging), the Joint Commission International (Pathology) and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (Turning Point).

•For the full report visit www.bermudahospitals.bm/pdf-downloads/Accreditation_Preliminary_ Report_June_2015.pdf