FRIDAY
JULY 11, 2014
WHALERS WIN BIG Local swim club dominates Chilliwack meet A32
your life
A B B O T S F O R D
your community.
twitter.com/abbynews facebook.com/myabbynews
abbynews.com m
Online all the time. In print Wednesday & Friday.
Overuse of emergency rooms targeted
$180,000 FOR STUDY A7 City of Abbotsford
Minister releases hospital review, cites patient care shortfalls
will commit funds for Fraser River erosion study
DELAYS EXPECTED
Jeff NAGEL and Alex BUTLER Black Press
A seven-month review of Fraser Health has resulted in a new strategy that focuses on cutting unnecessary use of hospital emergency rooms in favour of improved primary and community care. Hospitals and emergency rooms around the region are experiencing overcrowding – including the state-of-the-art 300-bed Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre (ARHCC), which was completed in 2008 and is three times the size of the former MSA Hospital that it replaced. On Wednesday, Health Minister Terry Lake said too many patients in the region aren’t getting the appropriate type of care and are suffering worse outcomes, compared to other peer hospitals in Canada. “When you provide that care in the community, you take the pressure off the acute care setting,” Lake said. “That helps look after your budget problem as well.” Average lengths of hospital stays are longer in Fraser Health, Lake said, increasing risks of picking up infections in hospital or developing problems like bed sores. Fraser has been trying for years to clear its congested ERs with a shift to preventative or home health care. Although Lake did not criticize past efforts, he said the time was right for a strategic “data-driven” re-examination of the issues for the region, whose staff had been too bogged down in “putting out fires.” The region will get a modest infusion of extra money – $40 million in 2014/15 and $20 million in 2015/16 – to assist with opening up community care beds during the transition. Continued on A4
A12 Two-kilometre-long coal trains begin to pass through downtown Abbotsford daily
GROW RIP SENTENCING A10 Man gets three-and-ahalf years for his role in June 2009 incident
Making waves
Mazda 3
60 0THH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
60 standard features on our 2014 Mazda 3
$
60
DOWN PAYMENT
$
Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10
Q
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A29
Q Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Q
Trevor Esau, a summer camp leader with Abbotsford Recreation Centre, hones his skills at the wakeboard cable park Thursday at Albert Dyck Park. Temperatures in the 30 C range are expected in Abbotsford until at least Thursday, which will make local outdoor summer spots TYLER OLSEN Abbotsford News popular destinations.
GOTTA LOVE WHAT
Q
Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . .A40
85¢
60 WILL GET YOU! visit 60love.ca
60
PER WEEK
60
MILES PER GALLON
604.857.1600
Fraser Valley Auto Mall
VIPMAZDA
DOWN PAYMENT & PAYMENT INCLUDES ALL FEES & TAXES LEASE OFFER AVAILABLE ON APPROVED CREDIT FOR 2014 MAZDA3 (D4XK84_AB00) WITH LEASE APR OF 1.99% AND BI-WEEKLY PAYMENTS OF $120.00 FOR 36 MONTHS. THE TOTAL LEASE OBLIGATION IS $ 9420 INCLUDING DOWN PAYMENT OF $60.00.