The City of Windsor is losing an obstetrician.
CTV News has learned Doctor Bill Mundle will not set up a practice outside of Windsor Regional Hospital now that officials have decided to close the doctor’s Maternal Fetal Medicine clinic.
“We're not funded for that (clinic) but we have been offering that service since I've been here 32 years,” says Dr. Greg Hasen, the Chief of OBGYN at WRH.
The clinic will officially close on Nov. 1, 2019.
Data shows the clinic served 300 women in 2018, many of them considered high risk pregnancies for a wide range of reasons.
Dr. Hasen says it costs $460,000 a year to operate the MFM clinic and auditors went through the women and children's health department, searching for savings.
“The auditors said you are offering a Cadillac service and you have a Volkswagen budget,” says Hasen.
The lone doctor in the MFM clinic is Dr. Bill Mundle.
Dr. Mundle declined an interview on camera but told CTV News it isn’t feasible for him to stay in the Windsor area with his skill set.
Dr. Hasen points out all of the physicians in the department voted on the cost-cutting measure.
Dr. Hasen tells CTV News they would have to close five beds and lay off five nurses if the clinic stayed open and they could not find comparable savings.
While he admits it was a difficult decision, Dr. Hasen says they decided to sacrifice a small group of expectant mothers versus making cuts that would affect all children and women of all ages.
The OBGYN professional staff team and administrative clinical team will work together to ensure a seamless transition occurs.
