Medical Professionals and Support Staff
The two urban campuses of Windsor Regional Hospital employ some 3,000 medical professionals and support staff, making it one of the largest employers in the region.
There are also hundreds of physicians in private practice who are not directly employed by the hospital. Most have medical offices, often situated close to one of the two hospital campuses. Each typically employs several staff members, including receptionists and nurses.
The life of a physician is demanding. Over and above their regular work week, they are expected to take call. This can entail having to travel between the hospital and their office or home several times a day and often at night as well. When it comes to life and death emergencies, it is critical that they get to the hospital as quickly as possible. For this reason, they often live within a short drive of the hospital, and many even live within walking or cycling distance.
Windsor Regional Hospital has a stated goal of attracting "top talent" to the region to ensure residents receive the best medical treatment. This is a tough challenge in a gritty blue collar region competing against larger and more prestigious cities.
Factors that currently make Essex County appealing to physicians include being able to live in a great neighbourhood that is also close to the hospital. Nobody likes lengthy commutes, least of all tired surgeons coming home after a night on call.
Most physicians have families too. Lifestyle factors are key when deciding whether to move to our area. Most are attracted to established residential neighbourhoods with great amenities, good schools, and vibrant urban areas. Many younger physicians are extremely health conscious, and prefer to bike or walk to work whenever they can.
Most physicians are unlikely to seriously consider rural life in the County, mainly because of mid-winter downsides that include icy and snowy roads - when they need to get to the hospital in a hurry, the last thing they want to contemplate is landing in the ditch of a deserted side road. Neither will they find much that is appealing about living in a city with urban blight, abandoned industrial buildings, and traffic congestion.
Creative reuse of brownfield sites, on the other hand, sends a message that the area is worth a second look.
If we play our cards right, we can attract top physicians to our region.
The two urban campuses of Windsor Regional Hospital employ some 3,000 medical professionals and support staff, making it one of the largest employers in the region.
There are also hundreds of physicians in private practice who are not directly employed by the hospital. Most have medical offices, often situated close to one of the two hospital campuses. Each typically employs several staff members, including receptionists and nurses.
The life of a physician is demanding. Over and above their regular work week, they are expected to take call. This can entail having to travel between the hospital and their office or home several times a day and often at night as well. When it comes to life and death emergencies, it is critical that they get to the hospital as quickly as possible. For this reason, they often live within a short drive of the hospital, and many even live within walking or cycling distance.
Windsor Regional Hospital has a stated goal of attracting "top talent" to the region to ensure residents receive the best medical treatment. This is a tough challenge in a gritty blue collar region competing against larger and more prestigious cities.
Factors that currently make Essex County appealing to physicians include being able to live in a great neighbourhood that is also close to the hospital. Nobody likes lengthy commutes, least of all tired surgeons coming home after a night on call.
Most physicians have families too. Lifestyle factors are key when deciding whether to move to our area. Most are attracted to established residential neighbourhoods with great amenities, good schools, and vibrant urban areas. Many younger physicians are extremely health conscious, and prefer to bike or walk to work whenever they can.
Most physicians are unlikely to seriously consider rural life in the County, mainly because of mid-winter downsides that include icy and snowy roads - when they need to get to the hospital in a hurry, the last thing they want to contemplate is landing in the ditch of a deserted side road. Neither will they find much that is appealing about living in a city with urban blight, abandoned industrial buildings, and traffic congestion.
Creative reuse of brownfield sites, on the other hand, sends a message that the area is worth a second look.
If we play our cards right, we can attract top physicians to our region.