Contents:
Hospitals
Healthcare System:How the Public System Works Hospitals
Introduction to Hospitals
Hospitals in Canada are nonprofit institutions with independent administrative boards; they are not directly operated by the government. However, all hospitals depend on public funds for their operating costs. These funds are provided through the provincial government and are allocated by means of a yearly global budget. The yearly global budget is a set amount of money that the hospital uses to meet the needs of its patients. Each hospital and each province as a whole has a yearly global budget, which is determined by a provincial agency or a regional board. Provinces and individual hospitals must use the global budget to cover all their costs for personnel, equipment, and supplies. Limited global budgets have at times forced provinces to recommend the reduction of available beds, laboratories, or operating rooms and, in some cases, the closure of certain hospitals.” (1)