The head of the Ontario Medical Association toured Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston on Wednesday.
With more than 40,000 emergency room visits every year, the hospital plays a significant role in the community, but staff says it’s ageing and in need of dire upgrades.
“[We are] struggling to provide excellent services the way we are committed to do, the way we are expected to do, and the way we have signed up to do,” Dr. Barry Nathanson said.
Nadia Alam, president of the OMA, said her visit to the hospital is to assess the actual needs of the patients and staff.
“Not just use legacy data, as it’s called, to try and figure out how much funding a hospital needs, what resources a hospital needs, but looks at what’s happening on the ground today. [To] figure out what patients need today, and match that funding,” she said.
The staff has also formally invited Christine Elliott, Ontario’s Health Minister, to spend a day with them, in the hopes that some funding comes with it.
She confirmed she plans to visit by the end of the summer.
