A blue ribbon panel of Ulster County has been created to consider the future of the area's health care facilities and services. The panel, chaired by Ulster County legislator Joseph Stoeckeler (D-Ellenville), includes a number of medical professionals and administrators including Ellenville Regional Hospital's CEO Steve Kelley.

Stoeckeler described the panel's mission as, "trying to get a snapshot of the county's healthcare services." Stoeckeler mentioned that one of the main issues that will be considered is the future of Golden Hill, a 280-bed capacity county run facility that will be requiring either renovations of the existing structure or perhaps the building of a new one.

"What we are trying to avoid with this panel is what happened with the jail," Stoeckeler said, referring to the Ulster County project that was over budget and suffered construction delays.

When asked about his appointment to the panel, Steve Kelley said, "With Joe as the chair it's going to be great for us [the county]. He is a very effective leader."

Stoeckeler said that other issues the board will be talking about will include: discovering new benefits that will come from the merger of Kingston Hospital and Benedictine Hospital, considering the benefits of county medical services versus privatized medial services, and devising a way to bring more medical specialists into the county. That last goal is seen by Stoeckeler as being a tool in the county's economic development.

Stoeckeler said that the panel will complete its report of recommendations and findings by the end of the summer, at which time the panel could be disbanded if further information is not deemed necessary by the legislature.

The panel includes the heads of the county's three hospitals, retired medical professionals, and Robert Parete (chair of the County's Health Committee) among others.

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