Prince Edward Island

Canadian hospitals are improving the chances that patients will survive, new statistics suggest. The hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) data released by the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) shows that nationally, the rate of in-hospital deaths has fallen four per cent over the past year, said Dr. Indra Pulcins, director of indicator and performance measurement at the group. While the data shows some hospitals and health regions have made progress in cutting patient mortality, there are variations by hospital and region. Nonetheless, the trend is down. "The bar gets lower every day," Pulcins said. Among the 76 large acute-care hospitals or hospital corporations across Canada (excluding Quebec, where the data is collected differently), 47 reported drops, two were unchanged and 25 reported increases. CIHI says the data should not be used to compare hospitals because of the different factors involved, but "provides an important starting point for hospitals and health regions to assess their mortality rates and identify areas for improvement." But even hospitals that are below the national average of can improve, Pulcins said. And CIHI would also like the variation between hospitals and health regions to drop. Hospital mortality ratio The hospital standardized mortality ratio is a statistic showing the number of deaths that occurred in a hospital or health region divided by the number of deaths expected, times 100. An HSMR greater than 100 suggests that the hospital or region's mortality rate is higher than the national average; under 100, that it is lower. The HSMR focuses on the people with ailments that account for the majority of in-hospital deaths. It's adjusted to take age, sex, length of stay, admission category, diagnosis and other factors into account. CIHI cited Ontario's Scarborough General Hospital in the Greater Toronto Area as a success story. The HSMR declined from 125 in 2005-06 to 109 in 2007-08. A number over 100 suggests that the hospital has a mortality rate over the national average. Scarborough General adopted "a culture of patient safety" — including cutting adverse drug reactions and surgical infections — after the first public release of HSMR data last year, CIHI said in a news release Thursday. "Unfortunately, sometimes it takes something very dramatic to get people's attention focused in the right direction," Dr. Steven Jackson, chief of staff at the hospital, said in the release. There are still things the hospital can do better, "but the HSMR initiative has helped motivate people to take this on." It's not just mortality rates that can be improved, Pulcins said. "A number of years ago, it was thought impossible to prevent pneumonia" among patients on respirators, but now some hospitals go for months without a case. HSMR rates for some urban areas, 2007-08 and 2004-05 Health region No. of hospitals/corporations Rate '07-'08 Rate '04-'05 Vancouver 10 83 98 Calgary 11 88 87 Winnipeg 7 105 115 Toronto 6 97 96 Halifax 6 93 125 St. John's 8 102 114 Source: CIHI

The price for gas and heating oil has dropped on P.E.I. for the fourth week in a row.

Current prices (¢)
Gas	69.9
Heating oil	70.1
Diesel	92.9

As of 12:01 a.m. Monday the price of gas fell 3.0 cents per litre. Heating oil was down 3.8 cents a litre and diesel by 2.0 cents. Propane was unchanged.

A continuing global economic slowdown is the main reason for the falling prices, said IRAC in a news release. Relatively mild weather is also lowering the demand for heating oil.

This was a scheduled petroleum product price review from IRAC, which normally looks at prices at the beginning and middle of the month, but falling oil prices have prompted weekly changes since Nov. 15.

The next scheduled price review is Jan. 1.

Prince Edward Island is the most environmentally friendly province in the great country of Canada. Prince Edward Islanders are avid composters, and are frugal consumers of water. 55% of PEI residents have replaced traditional showerheads, and replaced them with newer low-flow types. 92% of PEI households compost regularly. (source: www.ctv.ca)

Environmental friendly PEI is a great place to live; come and investigate in PEI Real Estate. You just might want to make it your permanent home.

That's it for now,

George, Red Soil Real Estate Inc., 902-962-2050, http://www.buysellpei.com

AMAZING COUNTRY HOME MINUTES TO CITY! This amazing family home is the oerfect mix of country living only minutes to the city.Property features include:all new windows,renovated kitchen,seperate living and dining rooms,and a main floor office/study. Large lot and detached garage make this home a must to see. Electric hot water heater, new sub-well pump, insulation throughout. New second floor bathroom,shingles, sheathing,painting, flooring, hedgegrow program home with over 350 trees planted,new amp 200 service, steel roof and many more updates.This home won`t last long @ 225,000 so call Adam today @ 902-629-4997 with any questions or to set up a private viewing.All measurements are approximate. Directions TCH to Colville Rd (Route # 19) north to Clow`s Store, tirn left, property on left.

FloorRoomSizeFloorRoomSize

MAIN FLOOR	LIVING ROOM	10.5X14	2ND FLOOR	MASTER BEDROOM	13.11X14.5+8.4X10.10
MAIN FLOOR	DINING ROOM	9.3X14	2ND FLOOR	BEDROOM	9.4X10.10
MAIN FLOOR	KITCHEN	11.3X14.6	2ND FLOOR	BEDROOM	11X12.5
MAIN FLOOR	REC ROOM	14.3X16.4	2ND FLOOR	BEDROOM	9.2X13
MAIN FLOOR	DEN/OFFICE	8.6X14.2

more pics at www.adamaffleck.com

Adam Affleck

The provincial government has set December as "Celebration of the Oyster" month, in the wake of media reports calling into question the quality of Malpeque oysters, once considered among the world's best.

Last week, the province called together local media to showcase Malpeque oysters - complete with photo ops of Premier Robert Ghiz slurping them off the half shell.

While the Malpeque name still carries weight, the oyster's reputation took a hit recently when some prominent names in the oyster industry singled them out for criticism. Seventy per cent of the Malpeque oyster fishery is wild, and that causes some problems with quality. The shells can be long instead of round, making them difficult to shuck. Inside, they can be short on meat.

Wholesaler Jason Woodside said Malpeques just aren't that good any more, and he's seen it at recent events.

"[The Malpeques] were these tiny little dried up little cocktails, right next to these beautiful, big Blue Point oysters," said Woodside.

Too many fishing?

Having 675 licensed fishermen also poses problems. In previous years, less information was available about where the good fishing was. Fishermen tended to stick with particular beds, so beds producing well were not overfished. Clifford Bernard, head of the P.E.I. Shellfish Association, said that has changed.

"Now they have cellphones and GPSs, you know," said Bernard.

"One friend's one place, and another friend another place, and they say, 'Well, it's good fishing here.'"

PEI's fisheries minister has been meeting with industry to find ways to bring the bivalve's reputation back. One possibility is cutting back on the number of fishermen. Bernard believes some licences will have to be bought out to take pressure off the beds. But he doesn't want to see too many go, because these licences inject much-needed employment and money into the rural economy.

The industry was worth about $13 million last year.

Woodside said the industry needs to do more of what's happening in other jurisdictions: reduce the wild fishery in favour of cultivating oysters. That, he said, will allow for better quality control.

what do you think?

Adam Affleck

www.adamaffleck.com