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The North East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) will be taking another look at the NEO Kids proposal at its board meeting tomorrow, May 10.
In the agenda for tomorrow's meeting, NEO Kids falls under the Business Arising portion, early on in the meeting. This isn't an information item, as the agenda indicates the board will be making a decision on the issue.
Last summer, the North East LHIN concluded Health Sciences North had not made a strong enough business case for NEO Kids, so the LHIN decided it wouldn't back the project without more information from proponents.
The project is a $55-million investment to expand NEO Kids, the hospital's centre for outpatient pediatric care.
LHIN board member Dr. Colin Germond said his biggest concern was that the hospital panel could not provide clear numbers on how many families from northeastern Ontario travel to Ottawa and Toronto for pediatric care.
Germond said, at the time, representatives with the ministry in Toronto would not be as sympathetic to the idea that travelling for health-care services can take a toll on northern children and their families.
“If we don't make a very good business case, the ministry may not agree,” he said.
Health Sciences North president and CEO Dr. Denis Roy said he planned to have a better business plan ready for the North East LHIN board's meeting in September 2015, but that never materialized.
In November 2015, the hospital launched the NEO Kids Foundation to raise funds for children's services, equipment and research at the hospital.
Patricia Mills, president of the NEO Kids Foundation, has said the foundation's first priority will be the construction of a standalone health centre designed and built for children's specific needs.
