By Mario deSantis, November 4, 1999

Last week, I wrote an article about Gord Nystuen(1), president of SHIN, trying to cover his assets by leaving the crown corporation. Yesterday, in the early morning, as I browsed the WWW, I came to know that Dr. Glenn Bartlett resigned as CEO of the Regina Health District(2); and yesterday as well, I received in my mail box the Fall 1999 newsletter published by SHIN. So, today, it was natural for me to dedicate these few lines about the SHIN flop.

In leaving SHIN, Nystuen has admitted that moneys have been spent to assist health districts to cope with the Y2K nightmare(3). However, SHIN's mandate doesn't include the provision to support Y2K services to the health care districts; in fact, this morning as I read the 1998 Fall Report of the Provincial Auditor, I don't find any mention whatsoever of the word Y2K. One summary of this report states "we conclude that the corporation needs to ensure SHIN's development continues to be supported by sound and visible reasons for the project. The Corporation should prepare a development plan for each phase of SHIN that shows the benefits that will be achieved for the money spent"(4)

I have visited the SHIN's web site(5) and I find that this crown corporation's mission states "...SHIN is the acknowledged expert in delivering secure health information resources for better health..." Also, I have had a look at its organization and I have found a staff complement of seven people and a board of directors comprised of fifteen people, including Dr. Bartlett and Brian Rourke(6), Chair of the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations since 1995. Rourke has been complaining that $50 million were not sufficient to address the Y2K Nightmare(7). Therefore, it was a matter of a proper legal decision for SHIN to ignore its chartered mandate along with the recommendations of the Provincial Auditor and deliver secure health moneys on behalf of the ailing districts such as the Regina Health Board.

As we have mentioned, Gord Nystuen has left the corporation, Dr. Glenn Bartlett has resigned from the Regina Health Board, and Brian Rourke is still standing tall as the supreme asset of the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations.

I have a simple question for Brian Rourke: How much money was diverted from SHIN for the Y2K Nightmare?

Endnotes

1. Saskatchewan Health Information Network: Gord Nystuen leaves his post to cover his assets, by Mario deSantis, October 23, 1999

2. Regina District Health Board Announces Resignation of Chief Executive Officer, November 1, 1999 http://www.reginahealth.sk.ca/district_news/index.html

3. The culprit of the Y2K Nightmare in Health Care is plain Corruption! by Mario deSantis, January 18, 1999

4. 1998 Fall Report, Volume 2, Chapter 5, Part B (pp. 85-98) page 93, Provincial Auditor of Saskatchewan, Regina Saskatchewan http://www.auditor.sk.ca

5. Web site of the Saskatchewan Health Information Network, http://www.shin.sk.ca

6. Web site describing the accomplishments and social status of Brian Rourke http://www.reginahealth.sk.ca/about_us/index.html

7. Never enough money for SAHO, by Mario deSantis, March 31, 1999