Luc Lepage, director-general of the Centre de sante et services sociaux (CSSS) de Laval.
(Photo: Martin Alarie)
The health system will have to adapt
If there's a sector that will be front and centre in the near future as a result of the aging of the population, it is definitely that of health.
Commissioned by the Centre de santé et de services sociaux (CSSS) de Laval, a study conducted by the CIM firm produced projections for the future regarding this health system clientele.
In ERs, in the past year there were 14,417 visits by people aged 65 and over. By 2010 this figure is expected to climb to 17,000, and to nearly 20,000 by 2015.
For people brought in on stretchers, the statistics for this age group reached 9,466, and it's foreseen that these incidents will rise to 11,000 by 2010 and 13,000 by 2015.
As for hospital stays, it is predicted that by 2015 bed shortages will number more than 775. At the CSSS, it is noted that in the coming years there will be significant increases in the number of people requiring stays in hospitals providing long-term care (CHSLD).
Currently at 267, the lack of beds will rise to 322 in 2010 and 384 in 2015.
Performance
"We know exactly what we'll be facing and where our needs will be," says Luc Lepage, CSSS de Laval director-general. "Considering that the study shows our present facilities to be better than most others in the province, we have one less problem to resolve."
"We're already lagging behind in the number of beds needed, so we have to immediately start to recover lost time," Mr. Lepage adds. "Will we have the money to catch up? I doubt it. And that's why we have to take another look at our practices in order to maximize our capacities with the resources we do have. We have to make sure we send the right patient to the right place."
Human resources
Another phenomenon that must be addressed by the CSSS is the shortage of qualified human resources. In the view of the director-general, there are large gaps to fill.
"We're at a stage where personnel requirements are larger and larger, and there is competition for these people. We raid each other for human resources. For our part, one of our objectives is to attract and retain more health care workers who live in Laval but are employed elsewhere.
"We have the chance to benefit from quality infrastructures, and we now have to make them more visible and more appealing. We've just launched a huge publicity campaign in this regard."
Similar to the study it commissioned concerning the needs of the elderly, the CSSS foresees ordering another study to assess future needs in qualified human resources.
Photo: Lepage
(Photo: Martin Alarie)
Météo: Laval, 6 juillet 2008 / 25°C
/ Généralement dégagé
/ Vents: 11 Km/h / Humidité relative: 44 % 
Steven Guilbeault - 
