7
YU: Mayor & Council August ius () UJ iy C

FRO: Alderman P.A. Meyer, Chairman, Health & Welfare Comuittee AUG 29 1973

CO a cre me A Ot om Pet aay See Hi Ne am cy vem se eee

—— wee eeee ae

Re: GVRD Obstetric-Neonatal and Gynaecological Services
Report - Implications for the Coquitlam ilospital. ,

Naving carefully studied the above report, I would recommend that the
following submission be sent to the GVRD with copies to the Minister of Health
& Welfare, Premier Barrett, the Coquitlam Hospital Society, the Simon Fraser

Union Board of Health, and Mrs. “Monica Angus:

"Having examined the GVRD report on Obstetric-’-onatal and Gynaccological

Services, we must reqister our strongest objections to its conclusions with

regard to the soon to be buiit "Coquitlam" hospital. Rather, we would urge
that facilities for expeccant mothers (birthsand newborn children being one of
the most joyous parts of a community-oriented hospital) are fundamental to such
a facility and they should therefore uot be delaved for 10 years but buiit into
the Coquitlam Hospital from the start."

More specifically, we concur with the report in observing the trend
toward relatively fewer per capita births in the Vancouver and New Westminster
areas, and relatively more per capita births in the peripheral communities (in-
cluding those to be served by the Coquitlam Hospital). We do not concur that
transfer patterns for obstetric patients or potential obstetric patients are
necessarily mainly caused by changes in the hospital their doctor practices in,
however, We observe that in every other "social" service provided to the
citizens of this area, use is heavily affected by "proximity" and other factors
affecting access convenience. We believe that this pervasive factor has been
given little credence by the report, which states: "Patient and doctor conven-
dence and local conmunity pride must not be permitted to be overriding con-
siderations". We do not agree. If the above considerations are not to be
considered persuasive, what is? The report calls for increased standards of
medical competence. It suggests bigger, more specialized, better planned

ooee-cont'd. Page - 2 -