This is a story from CanoeFM’s Local Journalism Reporter, Elizabeth Oakley.
More than 400 patients in the region will soon be without a family physician after Dr. Mimi Van
Der Leden officially closes her Kinmount practice in May.
Patients impacted by the closure learned about it via phone messages and mailed letters last
week, causing many to take to social media expressing their frustration and anger.
Dr. Van Der Leden accepted the position at the Kinmount District Health Centre in December
2024, and began seeing patients in February 2025. No reason was given for the physician’s
closure of her practice.
Canoe FM spoke with Lois O’Neil-Jackson, Chair of the Kinmount District Health Centre
Foundation earlier today. She said the Foundation is saddened about Dr. Van Der Leden’s
departure but could not provide a reason, other than suspecting that it ‘was not a good fit’ for
her there.
O’Neil-Jackson said the Foundation, created more than 20 years ago, remains committed to
bringing quality healthcare staff to the community. She added the Board is working with both
the County of Haliburton and City of Kawartha physician recruiters for Dr. Van Der Leden’s
replacement. That could include possibly bringing a nurse practitioner on board at the
Kinmount health centre.
Dr. Van Der Leden will continue to see patients in person until April 29 th , after which
appointments will be by telephone only. She will officially close her practice on May 15 th .
In the meantime, O’Neil-Jackson recommends local residents orphaned by the closure of Dr.
Van Der Leden’s practice to visit Healthcare Connect to find a new primary healthcare provider
at Ontario dot ca backslash healthcareconnect.
CanoeFM’s County Closeup will provide a more fulsome story on the closure of the medical
practice and its impact on the community and patients later this week.
To read more stories by Elizabeth Oakley go to County Closeup on Canoe FM.
