(Queen’s Park) - The McGuinty Liberals must ask the Auditor General to conduct a value-for-money-audit of the Smart Systems for Health Agency (SSHA), to ensure taxpayers’ money was well spent.
Click here to learn how more than half a billion taxpayers’ dollars was spent.
The Smart Systems for Health Agency was established in 2002. It was mandated to create an e-Health system for Ontario, to improve patient access and care and improve patient safety.
Although the McGuinty government spent more than half a billion dollars on the SSHA, the agency produced very few visible successes. The SSHA was poorly regarded by Ontario’s health care community. Outside observers, such as Deloitte, have questioned the effectiveness of certain decisions it made and the value obtained from significant investments.
The SSHA’s questionable success eventually led to its takeover. In September 2008, the agency was quietly brought under the control of eHealth Ontario, a restructured organization responsible for all aspects of e-Health in the province.
Progressive Conservative Health Critic, Elizabeth Witmer, believes the Auditor General should conduct a value-for-money audit of the Smart Systems for Health Agency, due to:
· The lack of oversight,
· The lack of visible success, and
· Rampant government spending.
Over the next 3 years, the McGuinty government will spend another $2 billion on e-Health initiatives. In 3 years it will be 2012, but Ontario will not have a province-wide e-Health system until 2015; and so even more taxpayers’ money will be spent.
“An audit must be done to identify opportunities for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of e-Health programs and the operations of eHealth Ontario,” said Witmer. “During difficult economic times, taxpayers want to be assured that their tax dollars are being well spent.”
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For further information contact:
Elizabeth Witmer, MPP
(416) 325-1306
Backgrounder
· A 2008 report, published by the Ontario Hospital Association indicates why Ontario needs an e-Health system. The report states that “improved availability, integration and communication of health care information will result in improved care for those with chronic diseases, greater efficiency in interactions with patients, improved patient safety, improved patient participation in their own health care, and many other positive outcomes.”
· During the 2007 election campaign, Dalton McGuinty promised an electronic health record (EHR) for every Ontarian by 2015.
· Unlike Ontario, Alberta is leading the way in successfully implementing a province-wide EHR system. In Alberta, more than 24,000 physicians, pharmacists and other health providers are already registered.
· According to Canada Health Infoway by 2010: PEI, Quebec, Alberta, BC and the Northwest Territories will have an e-Health system.
· Over the next 3 years, the McGuinty government will spend another $2 billion on e-Health initiatives. In 3 years it will be 2012, but Ontario will not have a province-wide e-Health system until 2015; and so even more taxpayers’ money will be spent.
· The McGuinty government has gone on a spending spree. Since 2003, government spending has increased by 40 per cent. This funding has gone towards bloated and ineffective agencies such as the SSHA. Before this agency was disbanded it received more than $647 million in taxpayer funding.
· Smart Systems and Knowledge Management Program Expenditures
Source: Public Accounts of Ontario 2002/03 to 2007/08
|
Year |
Operating Expense (Actuals) |
|
2002-03 |
$ 68,969,210.00 |
|
2003-04 |
$ 82,756,633.00 |
|
2004-05 |
$ 86,523,500.00 |
|
2005-06 |
$ 111,500,000.00 |
|
2006-07 |
$ 125,173,200.00 |
|
2007-08 |
$ 172,179,200.00 |
|
Total |
$ 647,101,743.00 |
· The SSHA was established as a transfer payment agency of the Ministry of Health. On September 26th 2008, the agency was quietly disbanded. Coincidently, this date was a Friday and the same day the province began publicly reporting C. difficile infection rates. None of the agency’s past Board Members sit on the Board of Directors for eHealth Ontario.
Source: The Ministry of Finance “Public Sector Salary Disclosure”
|
|
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
|
Total Salaries & Wages |
$4,477,103 |
$16,867,757 |
$27,651,876 |
$30,431,960 |
$41,401,194 |
|
Those Employees Making Over $100,000 A Year |
$2,187,486 |
$ 9,616,183 |
$13,440,979 |
$14,365,617 |
$21,791,424 |
|
# of Employees |
14 |
73 |
101 |
108 |
166 |
· The Progressive Conservative Party recently delved into SSHA expenditures. In March 2009, the following information was obtained through Freedom of Information Requests:
Source: eHealth Ontario, March 2009
|
Account Description |
2003 |
2008 |
|
|
Food Expenses |
$ 6,899.68 |
$ 85,139.30 |
12 x Increase |
|
Travel Expenses |
$ 24,460.69 |
$ 429,737.88 |
17 x Increase |
|
Accommodation Expenses |
$ 2,836.90 |
$ 85,206.05 |
30 x Increase |
|
Entertainment & Catering Expenses |
N/A * |
$ 143,312.98 |
|
* The SSHA did not have any expenses for Entertainment or Catering before 2006. In 2007, $55,055 was spent on Entertainment and Catering. By 2008, the year that the SSHA was dissolved, the amount spent grew to $143,312.98.
Source: eHealth Ontario, March 2009
$63,383 was spent in relation to the restructuring of the SSHA to eHealth Ontario. This includes expenses for new furniture, new offices and moving expenses. Of that, $51,529 was spent on expenses for the Chief Executive Officer’s new office. These expenses include:
|
Description of The CEO’s Expenses |
Expenses |
|
New Furniture |
$ 24,377.65 |
|
Office Renovation |
$ 17,970.70 |
|
Photography & Artwork |
$ 1,063.80 |
|
Window & Blinds |
$ 1,469.85 |
|
Removal of Floor Monument From CEO’s Office |
$ 590.00 |
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