When the government instituted 12 Regional Health Authority boards in place of the former 32 district boards last year, their goal was more efficient management and eliminating the election process.

There may be, however, one benefit to the new boards that no one expected: saving money in travelling expenses.

The Sun Country Regional Health Authority recently discovered this fact when tracking the expenses of its new board from October to December.

The board's expenses was compared to the three boards of governors that once managed the South Central, South East and Moose Mountain Health Districts.

Lloyd Searcy, vice-president of corporate and financial services for the new RHA, said the new board spent approximately $20,000 less in traveling and other expenses over those three months, as compared to what the three district boards would have spent.

With that figure in mind, Searcy said they projected the annual savings of the new board would be from $45,000 to $60,000.

This figure can only be applied to the Sun Country RHA board, and not the 11 other boards in the province.

But asked if this case would be the same for the other boards, Searcy said, "I would suspect so."

The report on the savings was discussed at an open board meeting earlier this spring.

The Sun Country board is currently comprised of 11 members from the three districts, and is awaiting the appointment of a new member from the government.

Their regular monthly meetings are rotated around different communities throughout the region. The next board meeting is being held today, April 23, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Estevan.