Erie Shores Healthcare is looking to the future.
The evolving healthcare landscape in Essex County has officials examining the next 25 years of growth at the organization.
They've launched Erie Shores 2050, which President and CEO Kristin Kennedy says is all about growth and opportunity.
The hospital has spent the last 24 months preparing its Capital Master Plan for submission to the Ministry of Health.
The document, which will be submitted in the coming days, forms a long-term infrastructure vision for ESHC.
The hospital also wants to hear from residents about what they want to see in their hospital from a programming and services perspective over the next 25 years.
Kennedy says Erie Shores 2050 will include community open house sessions across the communities that use the hospital starting this fall.
"Amherstburg, Essex, Harrow, Kingsville, Lakeshore, Leamington, Pelee Island and Tecumseh. Really to understand where do they see the vision for the hospital for the next 25 years. We've done a really great job over the last two and a half years to strategically look at programs and services we can build upon out here, but we want to push it a little further," she said.
ESHC, in partnership with the Erie Shores Health Foundation, is also commissioning an extensive study that will use economic and population data modelling to identify trends, challenges and opportunities in the region.
The visioning process is the next step in the hospital's growth plan, which has already included the introduction of MRI services, chemotherapy treatments, a new state-of-the-art mammography suite, and the opening of 14 additional acute care beds.
Kennedy says for the last three to three and a half years they've worked in a state of crisis, and now this is about coming out of the crisis.
"And really having standardization structure, but stability for our communities. Knowing that the programs and services are here, and that as a leadership team and also our frontline staff and physicians, are not siloed in the hospital anymore. We want to hear from our communities, we want to meet with them and see what they have to say."
She says as the communities are growing in both population and economic diversity, that comes with growing pains, so the timing is right to start engaging the communities and people they serve about what they would like to see in their local hospital.
"How do we build upon all of the great initiatives we've kind of embarked upon over the past two and a half years and how do we see that moving forward. Are there other programs and services that they want, are there other opportunities or gaps to address, and what is their experience here at the hospital. I think that's so important as well," Kennedy said.
Erie Shores HealthCare leadership will spend the summer finalizing and submitting its Capital Master Plan to the Ministry of Health and begin coordinating engagement sessions starting in the Fall.
Kennedy says an update on Erie Shores 2050 will be provided to the Board of Directors at their public board meeting in September.
- with files from AM800's The Dan MacDonald Show