Kingsville defers ESHC request

KINGSVILLE — Kingsville Council has voted to defer a request by Erie Shores HealthCare and Erie Shores Health Foundation for a commitment to a 15-year agreement to help with their Physician Recruitment Initiative.

Erie Shores HealthCare CEO, Kristin Kennedy and Erie Shores Health Foundation Executive Director Christine Colautti, both appeared before council Monday in their first of three stops at local municipalities, looking for partners in the initiative.

They were looking for a commitment of $20,000 per year for 15 years, to help offset costs involved with recruiting new physicians to the hospital.

Kennedy explained that the ER at Erie Shores HealthCare has ranked in the top 10 of hospitals in the province for the past two years — with regard to wait times — and they’ve had significant increases in ER visits and inpatient occupancy.

This prompted the fundraising initiative, which they estimate would require about $80,000 per year to facilitate.

They plan on visiting Leamington Council and Essex County Council with the same partnership proposal in the coming weeks.

“This support and partnership, which we would promote broadly and proudly to our community partners, staff, patients and the media, will serve as a vital catalyst intended to create further support from other municipalities, business leaders and individual donors,” said Colautti.

After lengthy discussion, Deputy Mayor Gord Queen made a motion to send the matter to administration and have them determine a course of action and make a recommendation to council.

The motion was carried unanimously.