December 10, 2015
1910
Representatives of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre, Kincardine Physicians Group, Kincardine Family Health Team and the Municipality of Kincardine met Thursday morning (Dec. 10), at the Kincardine Community Medical Clinic to announce plans to secure and expand health services for area residents.
The Kincardine hospital will introduce regular cardiology consulting services, including on-site echocardiography. Hospital officials have confirmed agreements with a group of cardiologists associated with the London Health Sciences Centre. This will complement the existing services provided by Dr. Larry Brownscombe.
The Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation is purchasing compatible echocardiography equipment, and technical support will be provided by the hospital. This service will be focused at Kincardine and available to all health centre sites, including Walkerton, Durham and Chesley.
In addition, surgeons from Hanover and Goderich will provide regular days of operating and surgical consulting each week at the Kincardine site.
“The South Bruce Grey Health Centre is committed to providing the right services to meet the health care needs of our community," said Paul Rosebush, president and chief executive officer of the health centre. "Each of these services is important to maintaining the ongoing role of the hospital as a high-quality health care resource to the community.”
The Municipality of Kincardine has just finalized an agreement with a new primary care physician, Dr. Damian Gunaratne, and in co-operation with Bruce Power, will continue to provide financial support to the physician recruitment program, including the physician recruiter, and provide financial incentives to meet the community's health care needs.
"The municipality has an ongoing commitment to support all efforts to ensure the long-term viability and necessary physical needs of our local health care system and hospital redevelopment," said Kincardine mayor Anne Eadie.
Gunaratne is slated to take over Dr. Rejean Duwyn's practice in August, 2016. Duwyn left in July. Nurse practitioner Melissa Wright will manage Dr. John Engle's practice while physician recruitment initiatives continue. Engle left in November.
Patients of Dr. Steven Poirier, who also left in July, will be redistributed and rostered to remaining clinic physicians: Dr. Lisa Scott, Dr. Lisa Denobriga and Dr. Larissa Kasianik.
The Kincardine Physicians Group and Family Health Team welcomes the arrival of Gunaratne next summer, and the support of cardiac and surgical services, ensuring primary medical care continues to remain available to area residents rostered to the community clinic.
Dr. Gary Gurbin, on behalf of the clinic staff and health team, expressed appreciation to the municipality, Bruce Power and health centre administration, for their support.
“We hope to continue to work with the hospital and municipality to ensure access to high quality health services for our patients,” he said.
Written ByLiz Dadson is the founder and editor of the Kincardine Record and has been in the news business since 1986.
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