The provincial government is making a major, permanent investment in a successful Leamington hospital program that has drastically cut how long patients wait for emergency care. Erie Shores HealthCare is receiving an additional $2.33 million in annual base funding to support its innovative Admission and Discharge Unit (ADU), a model hailed as a provincial leader.
A Model That Puts Patients in the Right Place
Announced on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, the funding rewards the hospital's proven results. The ADU's core philosophy is efficient patient flow. Patients needing admission move directly from the emergency department to the unit, while those medically ready to leave are transferred to a dedicated "discharge lounge" to complete paperwork and arrangements, freeing up inpatient beds faster.
"For us, it’s about putting the right patient in the right place at the right time," explained Erie Shores HealthCare President and CEO Kristin Kennedy. "Freeing up beds when patients no longer need them is the game changer."
Measurable Results for Patients and Paramedics
The data underscores the model's impact. Over the past 18 months, the average wait to see a physician in the ER has plummeted from about 5.5 hours to roughly 2.5 hours. Overall hospital stays are now seven hours shorter on average, and time spent in the emergency department has been reduced by four hours.
The benefits extend beyond the hospital walls. Kennedy noted that Erie Shores has ranked first in Ontario for ambulance offload times for two consecutive years. This efficiency helps alleviate ambulance shortages and prevents Code Black situations in Essex County, getting paramedics back on the road faster.
A Cost-Effective Blueprint for the Province
Local MPP Anthony Leardi (PC — Essex) believes the Leamington model should be replicated across Ontario, including at Windsor Regional Hospital, where Kennedy is slated to become the new CEO in April 2026. "I think Kristin Kennedy, her team, and her model have done great service to health care," Leardi said. "I believe that in the future, you’re going to see this model spread throughout the province of Ontario."
The program is also notably cost-effective. Kennedy stated the ADU model costs approximately $2.8 million annually to operate, compared to an estimated $12 million for a comparable number of traditional inpatient beds. The new $2.33 million in base funding, added to the hospital's roughly $75 million annual operating budget, provides crucial stability. "This will set us up very well to keep innovative programs open and balance our budget," Kennedy added.
The funding announcement solidifies a transformative 18-month pilot into a permanent fixture at Erie Shores HealthCare, offering a potential blueprint for easing emergency room pressures in hospitals province-wide.
