Jewish General Hospital closing 22 beds

Next month the Jewish General Hospital will be closing 22 beds.

The agency in charge of the hospital says it has no choice but to close one unit as it deals with budget cuts.

“We've calculated that we can cut a 22-bed unit without it having any bad effect on access to care,” explained Dr. Louise Miner, Director of Professional Services of the CIUSSS Centre-Ouest-de-l’Ile-de-Montreal.

In 2014-2015 the hospital cut $23 million from its budget, and was told to cut costs again in the current budgetary year.

An outside firm was hired by the hospital this year to figure out where it could best cut costs -- a move that was frowned upon by Health Minister Gaetan Barrette.

"If they are closing beds for budgetary issues there is a problem over there. There must be a problem over there since they went public that they hired people to help them manage," said Barrette. “They cannot - anybody - cut services in order to get back to a balanced budget.”

He said he will take a closer look at what the JGH is planning.

"The funding in that hospital is no different from the funding in other hospitals, and other hospitals do manage within their budgets."

The beds being closed are reserved for older patients with relatively minor medical problems, but are not part of the geriatrics department.

In January the JGH opened its new critical care wing, Pavilion K, at a cost of $429 million.

The new wing of single-patient rooms increases the number of patients cared for at the Jewish General Hospital by an estimated 40 per cent.

It also includes five new operating rooms.

Last month, the head of surgery at the MUHC said budget cuts could lead to 1,500 fewer surgeries. It is in the process of cutting 54 beds permanently, and more during vacation periods.

The Jewish General Hospital maintains that its cuts are different, part of a move toward fewer beds and more homecare, but patients’ rights advocate Paul Brunet said patients will suffer.

“The plan of the government is to invest 5 per cent more per year in long-term facilities and home care services. The problem is the need is going to be 30 per cent, so we're lacking already,” he said.

The Jewish General Hospital said it will wait for final post-budget numbers from Quebec before closing the beds at the end of April.