Riverside Health Care’s Board of Directors is responding to the decision to go in a different direction with a campaign for a new MRI unit.
Riverside announced earlier this year the ending of a relationship with Riverside Foundation for Health Care and the hiring of a fundraising director to oversee the $1.6 million campaign.
In an open letter, the Board states that the changes were made following considerable effort to work with the Foundation.
“As announced in March, Riverside Health Care launched focused fundraising efforts aimed at further advancing health care across the Rainy River District,” states the letter, signed by Board Chair Diane Clifford and vice-chair Benjamin Norton.
“The evolving landscape of our health care organization that provides services in multiple communities and across much of the continuum of care requires us to increasingly adapt to the changing needs of the local health care system.”
In a statement released last week, Foundation members indicated it was their refusal to sign a relationship agreement presented last year that led to Riverside informing the Foundation in March that it was no longer authorized to raise funds on Riverside’s behalf.
“Agreements between hospitals and foundations are routinely used across the province to support these relationships,” states the Board letter.
The Board also suggests that the Foundation will continue to manage the fundraising dollars it has accumulated, flowing those funds back to Riverside for other medical equipment purchases.
“Riverside Health Care’s Fundraising Director will continue to engage with our Auxiliaries and the public, ensuring full financial transparency and accountability, just as it has occurred in the past, both during and prior to the Foundation’s existence,” states the Board letter.
Acadia News reached out to Riverside Health Care for further comment, but was informed no further statement on the issue would be made.
