It's back to basics for the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance's incoming president and CEO.
Lori Marshall says her first order of business when she takes over in March will be getting to know the organization.
"I'll be spending a fair bit of time initially getting a better understanding of the care and services that are delivered, and how the programs are structured, to really understand the situation," says Marshall, "Then I'll work with everyone from within the hospital and the community towards where we might go after that."
Marshal, who is currently serving as CEO of the Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre, tells BlackburnNews.com it's too soon to map out a plan, without first understanding the gravity of the challenges the CKHA is currently facing.
Regardless, she plans to pick up where interim administration left off, to alleviate the hospital's approximate $2-million deficit.
"In terms of my past experience in tackling these kinds of situations, it's important to understand how your organization compares to similar organizations around the province," Marshall says. "That kind of bench marking can be very helpful to understand how could you potentially emulate some best practices that already exist."
Concerns facing the Sydenham District Hospital are another issue Marshall says she looks forward to engaging stakeholders about, but for now, she doesn't want the Wallaceburg and Walpole Island First Nation communities to stress.
"What I have seen so far is that there has been a commitment to physical facility investments at the Wallaceburg site," says Marshall. "I think that in itself signals some specific commitments to that organization."