Saskatchewan health regions are finding significant financial efficiencies by reducing overtime hours and sick time. In the first six months of the 2010-11 fiscal year, the number of hours worked at premium rates per full-time employee is down 20.1 per cent from the same period a year before, a saving of $8 million.
"Health regions and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency are doing a good job of reducing overtime, which is a considerable cost to the health system," Health Minister Don McMorris said. "We are working with all of our health care partners to make the changes needed to strengthen and sustain our health system into the future. Efficiencies like these allow us to focus on reducing surgical wait times and recruiting physicians to work in Saskatchewan communities."
"The achievement of our targets for reducing sick time and overtime is due to the strong commitment of our staff and front line managers," Prince Albert Parkland Health Region CEOCecile Hunt said. "This effort will result in an improved workplace and environment for providing care for our patients, long-term care residents and community clients."
The health region has reduced its hours worked at premium rates by 24.9 per cent compared to the first six months of last fiscal year.
Our health care system is funding new initiatives by reducing costs by a total of $35 million this year through general program and administrative efficiencies, savings gained from overtime reductions and shared services (including joint purchasing).
The health regions and the Cancer Agency have been paying extra attention to reducing sick time and managing work-hour approvals for premium pay. The government's partnership with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, which added more than 800 registered nurses to the health care workforce over the past three years, has helped reduce overtime demands placed on nurses.During the first six months of the 2010-11 fiscal year, sick time was down an average of 4.4 per cent per full-time employee from the same period in the previous year.
