We’re all part of the solution - share your ideas!
“A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.” – Paul Romer, economist
Nobody wants to find themselves in crisis – financial or otherwise. But there’s a flip side to crisis – innovation and resourcefulness. As we find ourselves having to mitigate an organizational deficit, we’re forced to think differently. That means tapping into more than our formal leaders for solutions. In the spirit of Our Promise, this is for all of us to solve.
John Bain, Engineering Services, suggests setting up an online swap-and-shop for internal resources. For example, one employee may take down a bulletin board and put it in their closet because they no longer need it. Meanwhile, someone else in the organization may be ordering a new bulletin board. With an online swap-and-shop, our internal resources could be used and re-used wisely.
We want to hear your ideas for reducing waste and using our resources more effectively! Please share your comments here.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Having lived in Charlottetown , Prince Edward Island most of my life only moved to Nova Scotia 3 years ago.
PEI still has the highest electricity rates, and the highest rates of Cancer and Asthma and the most wind farms per capita. As well as having the proud distinction of being Canada Greenest Province. These ideas listed below may seem a skewed, however they do indeed provide valuable long term savings.
Re-Solution Green $$$ Saving Ideas For Capital Health
1) Install Motion Sensors in as many Capital Health rooms with light switches as possible, this would ensure that kilowatt hours would reduce and save $$$ on the energy bill.
It seems that’s where a good chunk of Capital Health’s deficit incurred i.e. the energy to heat and cool large buildings.
2) Use bio degradable garbage bags where possible, the black ones a BAD for the environment.
3) Install waterless toilets and urinals in Capital Health sites. These can be done on washrooms that are presently or soon going to need repair or upgrade. The short term costs may be high but the long term savings are immeasurable!!!
4) Purchase large black bins (Prince Edward Island already uses them) like the green recyclable ones already being used. These black ones can be used for waste only, therefore eliminating the need for black garbage bags.
5) Expand the use and delivery of the new recycling containers to included all Capital Health sites—such as the ones being installed now at the Cobequid. Each slot for the type of waste Paper/Waste/Bio-degradable/ etc. Remember……..P.E. Islanders bucked the sorting and recycling ideas when it first came out. Now they are avid and loyal re cyclers!!!
6) Expand the use of Energy from Waste such as currently used at QE2 to include other hospitals. This would be somewhat of an issue since the waste treatment plants are not in close proximity of other hospitals, however it can be worked. This way the energy to run the site is used from waste energy instead of Oil or hot water. The City’s Municipalities and or Nova Scotia Power could partner with Capital Health to feed into the system or also use energy from any nearby wind turbine farms which are currently operational.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital QEH and Hillsborough Hospitals in Charlottetown both use the nearby Energy from Waste Plant year round to heat and cool their hospitals ….saving even more.
7) Talk to the Health Minister of Prince Edward Island about saving our Capital Health site more money, by trying to implement the Pharmacy drug renewal program. The province has just passed or will be passing in early January in the house a bill which allows Pharmacists on Prince Edward Island to renew prescriptions with out calling or going to their family doctor withcertain restrictions. Instead of having to see their family physicians to renew most prescriptions their pharmacists can do it at the drug stores. Excluding Narcotics/Heart meds and a few other drugs.
This would save money and time for both Capital Health staff and patients.
NETWORKING + BRAINSTORMING = PROFIT SHARING and BUDGET SAVINGS !!!
Other suggestions:
One suggestion is to Auction off re used or redundant Office Furniture/ Computers, and other various electrical and hardware fixtures on an yearly or as needed basis. The revenue from this could have offset at least some of the debt being incurred by Capital Health.
Another suggestion is Capital Health could sell pre-made First Aid kits at various events such as Breast Cancer Walk/ and Cobequid Run/Walk and IWK Telethon. These kits could be very well stocked with all supplies that most individuals need in an Emergency as per Red Cross Standards or St.John Ambulance Standards. The actual contents i.e First Aid supplies would come from various sources such as the Red Cross and St.John Ambulance and HRM Disaster Services, as well as Capital Health.
Another suggestion:
Why not have a 50/50 Staff draw weekly at all the Capital health sites? I work at the Cobequid and John (Ticket Master) in Houskeeping does them most weeks. Usually its $100/ week for the winner so thats a $100 for a small site like the Cobequid, IMAGINE what a large site would haul in!!!! The support is tremendous says John. This week is winner take all draw will be held on 12/12/08, however all other weeks its 50/50 slip with proceeds going to the Social Commitee. In your case proceeds could go to the each sites Foundation/Health Boards as you see fit.This special pre- Christmas draw winner take all with new the winner over $500 guaranteed. On a larger CDHA scale the weekly 50/50 draws could be a large weekly revenue generator especially at QE2 and VG sites.
If support warranted you could even post advance pre payments for 50/50 via Credit Card or Debit on Capital Health website. Or you could have a group of staff buy bulk 50/50 tickets. Again more revenue for Capital Health. The potential here is staggering, and the staff support would surely be there, plus dont forget to reward staff by treating them to a 50/50 special draws like we have here during the holidays.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
We have started giving the patient’s their next appt with the blood requisition attached. It saves the postage!
We’ve also switched back to regular paper from NCR paper. Our physician letters are now photocopied. One box of NCR paper is $151 versus $31 for regular paper.
January 12th, 2009 at 9:33 am
i notice multiple copies of admission forms, financial responsibiity forms and admission screen records that are blank within the discharges. can we some how cut down on these Thanks
December 12th, 2009 at 3:07 am
Beautiful site!
December 20th, 2009 at 3:38 am
Paul Romer’s economic theories are sometimes a little scary.Who chose the quote?