A plan to save the obstetrics unit in Leamington is already in ministry hands.
Registered Midwife in Leamington Andrea Cassidy says a new model for OB was submitted to the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network before the closure of the unit was announced in October. She thinks the proposal could be more affordable than the current model.
"We have looked at the cost issues and our hope is that it will be more cost-effective because we'll be working as a team and also because we're taking some of the care out into the community," says Cassidy, adding the proposed model is similar to one used in Nova Scotia. "Their model is with midwives and obstetricians in the hospital. Ours is slightly different in that we have midwives working in family health teams."
Cassidy says the new model would still have births happen at the hospital while pre-and-post natal care would happen in a number of settings including the patient's home.
The obstetrics ward at Leamington District Memorial Hospital is to remain open until further notice as the Erie St. Clair LHIN awaits recommendations from an expert review panel.