Good morning,

Thank you very much for your interest in healthcare in Frontenac and for taking the time to attend the Local Community Working Group ideas session in support of recruitment and retention efforts for the clinics in Frontenac County.

We greatly appreciate the thoughtful input shared during the two sessions, follow-up survey, emails, and conversations. Your contributions are invaluable to this process.

As mentioned at the end of each session, our next steps were to:

• Compile all input from meetings, surveys, and additional correspondence, meet with the clinics to discuss next steps, follow up with participants, and post updates and input summaries on the Engage Frontenac Healthcare page.
• We’re pleased to share the “What We Heard” summary document is attached and available on the Engage Frontenac Healthcare page.
• We met with the clinics to discuss next steps and to identify some of the areas where we could be most supportive of their ongoing work. Recruitment and retention of health human resources for the Frontenac clinics remains the top priority.

We know there is a lot of interest in supporting many aspects of healthcare in Frontenac. Given concerns about broader healthcare beyond the scope of the recruitment and retention focus on the Terms of Reference, we have reached out to Frontenac Lennox and Addington Ontario Health Team (FLA OHT) and are currently working with them to explore opportunities to provide community input to their planning. We will continue to share updates with this group.

Thank you once again for your interest in healthcare in Frontenac.

The Clinics in Frontenac, Debbi, and Rob

Members of the public are invited to attend one of two community participation sessions, September 29 and October 7, to share ideas and experiences regarding primary healthcare in Frontenac. The sessions will be facilitated by Rob Wood, President & CEO of 8020Info Inc., and will lead to the discussion to form a local community working group to focus on physician and staff recruitment and retention to healthcare clinics across Frontenac.

“Access to primary health care is foundational to the health of the community,” says Dr. Jeanette Dietrich, Lead Physician, Rural Kingston Family Health Organization. “We would therefore like to involve the community in a strong and unified approach to primary care practitioner recruitment and retention in Frontenac.”

• Virtual session via Zoom: Monday, September 29, 5-7 p.m.
• In-person session: Tuesday, October 7 – 6-8 pm, Verona Lions Hall, 4504 Sand Road, Verona.

To learn more and register to attend, visit https://engagefrontenac.ca/healthcare-in-our-community/surveys/community-working-group-session-rsvp

Please register early; space is limited. Discussion points and virtual link will be emailed to those who register.

What to expect:

• Hear about the challenges facing our local family doctors and clinic staff.
• Learn about the recent primary healthcare review.
• Share your ideas about ways to support recruitment and retention of primary care professionals across Frontenac.
• Learn more about the proposed ideas for the local community working group as it forms.
• Participate in a facilitated and moderated discussion.

Whether you're passionate about improving healthcare recruitment and retention or just want to contribute to positive change in your community, we want to hear from you.

Let’s build something meaningful together.

Learn more about healthcare in Frontenac and the community working group initiative:

Healthcare in our community on engagefrontenac.ca:
https://engagefrontenac.ca/Healthcare-in-our-community

Healthcare in our community on FrontenacCounty.ca:
https://www.frontenaccounty.ca/en/living/hospitals-and-healthcare.aspx

Frontenac Lennox and Addington Ontario Health Team:
https://flaoht.ca/

Background Information
In 2023, 2024 and 2025, Frontenac County Council allocated $22,000 each year to support physician recruitment in Frontenac County.

In January 2024, the Economic Development team began gathering information to understand the healthcare recruitment strategies employed by other organizations and municipalities across the province. A report was submitted to the Planning and Economic Development Committee, recommending an operational review of the clinics in Frontenac County. This recommendation was based on the increased awareness of the administrative burden on clinics and primary care physicians.

The operational review aims to have a narrow scope, laying the foundation for potential long-term sustainable solutions to support primary healthcare and local physicians in Frontenac County. Healthcare in the province is complex, with a diverse range of programs, funding, and other opportunities that may provide future support in the region.

The operational review will examine primary healthcare in our community from a sustainable, county-wide perspective, considering the long-term impacts associated with the operational responsibilities that local physicians have for their clinics, contributing to the burnout of primary healthcare professionals. The review includes exploring potential collaborations in areas such as property maintenance, human resources, procurement, and clinic structure, with recommendations for short, medium, and long-term plans.

Following the operational review, a report and presentation will be submitted to the Planning and Economic Development Committee, outlining a plan with potential opportunities to support the long-term sustainability of medical clinics in Frontenac County.

County Council approved the Implementation Plan that was presented on May 21, 2025. Read the report here(External link).

This is the Recommendation from the Report that was approved at County Council on March 16, 2025.

Recommendation

Be It Resolved That County Council receives the Healthcare in our Community Report and Presentation provided by 8020 Info Inc,

And That the Council of the Corporation of the County of Frontenac approve the proposed recommendations outlined in the Healthcare in our Community report and presentation, attached to this report as Appendix A,

And That staff develop an Implementation Plan outlining actions, schedule, and costs associated with the recommendations outlined in the report,

And Further That the Implementation Plan be presented to County Council prior to 2026 budget deliberations.

Healthcare in our community is a significant economic source of local employment and supports other local businesses, including pharmacies and physiotherapy services. Access to primary care is crucial for communities to remain healthy and vibrant.

In April 2024, a report was presented recommending an operational review of the clinics in Frontenac County to aid efforts in recruiting and retaining physicians and other primary healthcare professionals.