Hospital borrows executive to fill in for CEO on leave
Windsor Regional’s Dawson takes on temporary position at Erie Shores
Leamington’s hospital has a new temporary leader, borrowed from Windsor Regional Hospital to fill in for CEO Terry Shields while he’s on a personal leave.
Janice Dawson, WRH’s vicepresident of critical care, cardiology and regional stroke, starts her new role as acting CEO at Erie Shores HealthCare on Monday.
The hospital officially changed its name from Leamington District Memorial Hospital on June 1.
Erie Shores spokesman Bill Baker wouldn’t discuss the reason for Shields’ leave.
In 2015, Shields went on a medical leave for a couple of months to get a hip replacement. Baker said he doesn’t know how long he’ll be away this time.
He went on leave a few weeks ago and was replaced temporarily by the hospital’s financial officer Sue Gibson.
But she was about to retire, so the decision was made to ask Windsor Regional for help, Baker said.
“We approached Windsor Regional because they’ve got bench strength,” he said.
Dawson has “vast expertise and experience” dealing with operational pressures, financial challenges and organizational change at hospitals, WRH said in a memo announcing her departure.
She has previously worked at Leamington, the former HotelDieu Grace Hospital and most recently at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, where she spent six weeks earlier this year as a special adviser helping to “revitalize” the hospital.
WRH CEO David Musyj said when something like this occurs at Leamington, his hospital is happy to help.
“The two acute care hospitals in the region, Leamington and Windsor Regional, are attached at the hip,” he said.
“We have patients flowing back and forth, the Windsor Regional dialysis program is out there, we handle mental health cases there, we have a lot of connected programs and services.”
Windsor Regional is asking staff who are interested to apply to temporarily fill Dawson’s role while she’s gone. “The period of her appointment (at Erie Shores) is indefinite but is anticipated to extend into 2018,” the memo says.
The two acute care hospitals in the region, Leamington and Windsor Regional, are attached at the hip.