Chris Lowrey
OUTAOUAIS March 21, 2018
Board members for Le Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO) were told on March 8 that the organization was projecting a budget deficit of $6.593 million.
The projected budget shortfall represents about one per cent of the organization’s budget of more than $650 million.
According to CISSSO spokesperson Geneviève Côté, the main reasons for the projected shortfall are due to an increase in the costs of medication and an increase in employees going on long-term disability.
For the years 2016-2017, there were 771,167 hours of long-term disability insurance logged. In 2017-2018, that number has gone up to 794,579, which represents a nearly three per cent increase.
“We have a lot of people who are on long term disability insurance which led to additional costs,” Côté said in an email. “Also, we must replace people who are absent.”
Côté said that this has resulted in increased overtime costs because CISSSO has had to bring in workers from private agencies.

But Côté also said that a lot can change between now and the end of the fiscal year on March 31.
Over the course of the last two years, CISSSO has come under heat from many in the Pontiac.
Concerned citizens point to the centralization of many aspects of the healthcare network as well as staff members being asked to do too much.
In February, union members representing support staff at the Shawville Hospital staged a demonstration inside the front doors of the facility.
They were protesting a lack of relief staff and an excessive amount of overtime hours that employees needed to work.
Le Syndicat des travailleuses et des travailleurs de la santé et des services sociaux de l’Outaouais (STTSSSO-CSN) Vice President Michelle Bourgoin said that staff are being pushed too hard.
“Patients are suffering,” Bourgoin said in February.
Josey Bouchard of the Pontiac Voice citizen’s group also expressed frustration with the projected deficit and was concerned it might impact the dialysis and recently announced endoscopy unit at the Shawville Hospital.
However, Côté was adamant that the projected deficit won’t impact the new units at the hospital.
“We’ve never had the intention to end the projects,” Côté said.
Côté said that CISSSO is currently talking to the Quebec Ministry of Health to secure funding to help alleviate the increase in drug costs.
When it comes to the staffing at the hospital, Bouchard would like to see more of an effort to hire locally in the Pontiac.