Hospital wait times jump, small deficit: Southern Health annual report

Southeastern Manitoba’s health region ran a near balanced budget, but hospital wait times increased and more people left without being seen, according to its latest annual report.

Released on Sept. 30, Southern Health posted a $90,891 operating deficit and a $3.5 million capital surplus for 2024/2025. The health care body generated roughly $491.7 million in revenue over the year.

In 2023/2024, the region had an operating surplus of $52, 592. and an $11.8 million capital deficit.

Ainsley Wiebe, chief financial officer for Southern Health, said keeping the deficit at that level was the region’s goal.

“This absolutely meets the definition, from an accounting perspective, of a balanced budget. We’re at about half-a-billion dollar-size organization, so $90,000 is really close to the bottom line,” she said.

Emergency wait times increased from five hours last year to six this year. Roughly 11 percent of patients left without being seen at health care facilities, a two percent jump from 2023/2024.

The health region’s interim CEO Dana Human said the longest wait times were in the Steinbach area and were due to doctor shortages and rising populations in the area, putting more demand on resources.

“In all honesty, emergency department wait times are a complex issue, and it requires coordinated and multi-pronged approach,” said Human. “We talk about it, if not, every other day.”

She said there are two new positions dedicated to addressing wait times, and there are multiple recruitment initiatives underway.

The region hired 190 nurses and recruited 19 family doctors, the report said. Human said many of the new doctors are international, but none are from the U.S.

As the population in Southeastern Manitoba communities grows, diverting patients away from emergency rooms who may only need community health services can help lessen the strain on hospital resources, Human said.

The hospital has three capital projects underway, including expanding and adding beds to Steinbach’s Bethesda Regional Health Centre. The new expansion is expected to open March 2026.