Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 14/00) - "The bottom line is not if the deficit is going to be eliminated, it's how."

That's how Larry Elkin, the newly-appointed chair of the Stanton Regional Hospital board, is approaching the hospital's $913,000 deficit.

Although it has been facing a tight budget for the past few years, this is the first time the hospital has been in the red for quite some time.

But not to worry, says Elkin.

An appeal for financial assistance from the Government of the Northwest Territories was filed in late February, and a response is anticipated sometime in the near future.

In the meantime, the board is working on the development of an action plan to determine where financial reductions can be made within the hospital's budget.

Elkin said its too early to consider any cuts to services or programs, however he claims "it is the board's intention to maintain the major core programs provided at the hospital."

As for possible reasons for the hefty deficit, Elkin blames the ever-increasing cost of medical travel as the culprit.

Besides the travel costs for patients and their escorts, the Stanton health board also faces high personnel travel costs.

"We're facing some problems here of course with (doctors and nurses) moving in and out, there's a higher cost in recruiting and removing them and all the things that go with that," said Elkin.

Nevertheless, he is confident the board will find a practical solution to the deficit problem.

"It is important that (the deficit) be addressed and I'm confident that by the board doing the work it's doing, and by working closely with the government, I'm totally confident that a reasonable solution will be found and the deficit will be eliminated within a reasonable period," he said.