Leamington District Memorial Hospital is actively searching for a new obstetrician and gynecologist as its only OB has announced she will be moving to Windsor Regional Hospital in June of 2016.
The hospital is currently appealing to the Ministry of Health for an alternate funding arrangement that would guarantee a base salary to any OB who establishes a practice in Leamington.
"The AFA is the big key for this," says Chief Nursing Executive and Vice President of Patient Services Cheryl Deter. "Any OB relocating here wants to make sure if they relocate that they are going to be able to have a guaranteed salary as we're building our base and getting our numbers back up."
Deter says if this funding is approved it will help the recruitment process immensely.
"We sure are trying. Of course we're hopeful. We want to maintain this service, it's important to our community, it's an anchor in our community. So we are actively recruiting and casting the net."
In the meantime the Ministry of Health has approved $1.2 million for the operation of the OB unit at Leamington District Memorial Hospital. Deter says they need $1.6 million to run the unit. She's confident the hospital will be granted the remaining $400,000.
"The lights are always on and we are staffed and we are actively recruiting for a new OB/GYN," says Deter.