GBGH partners with RVH to offer echocardiography services to the community

Photo: Through a partnership between Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), patients can now receive echocardiogram services at GBGH, improving their access to care close to home. Patient Ewan Campbell, 73, of Midland received an echocardiogram from RVH cardiac sonographer Tena O’Rourke in preparation for the program’s official launch on October 5.

Local patients are now able to have important cardiac diagnostic procedures completed at their community hospital.

Thanks to a new partnership between Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) echocardiography services are now available at GBGH. Prior to this partnership, patients from Midland, Penetanguishene, Township of Tiny, Township of Tay and Christian Island were travelling to Barrie or Orillia to receive this service.

An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart which produces two and three-dimensional images of heart structure and function. This important low-risk imaging procedure can assist in the diagnosis of heart murmurs, valve function, cardiac masses, hypertension and heart disease.

Once the echocardiogram is completed at GBGH, the images will be sent electronically to RVH where a cardiologist will interpret the images to assist in diagnosis.

“In the first year of this partnership, we anticipate nearly 1,100 patients will be able to receive echocardiograms at GBGH, reducing their need to travel out of our area for this service,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “We are very pleased to partner with RVH on this initiative based on their depth of experience in cardiac care and for the benefit of providing this important service to our community. Offering echocardiograms at GBGH directly aligns with our strategic priority to grow our programming to align with community needs.”

Starting October 5, the service is provided in GBGH’s Diagnostic Imaging department by an RVH cardiac sonographer. It is available to GBGH inpatients and patients from the community referred by a physician. The service is available Monday, Wednesday and Thursday each week with the potential to increase to five days per week in the future.

“As the regional health centre, RVH is committed to providing exceptional care closer to home through important partnerships like this one with GBGH,” says Janice Skot, president and CEO, RVH. “By leveraging the expertise of RVH’s regional heart program, patients can have great confidence in the skill and accuracy of the diagnostic study, without having to travel for care.”

GBGH and RVH have shared in many successful partnerships over the past three years to improve quality, as well as increase the variety of services GBGH can offer to patients.

 Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH celebrates Franco-Ontarian Day

Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) celebrated Franco-Ontarian Day on September 25, 2020. This annual event is held province-wide to recognize the unique Francophone history and culture in Ontario. Across province, there at more than 600,000 Franco-Ontarians, making up 4.9% of Ontario’s population.

Members of GBGH’s French Language Services Committee, and GBGH president and CEO Gail Hunt, proudly raised the Franco-Ontarian flag at the hospital to recognize the unique Francophone community the hospital serves. GBGH is proud to have received its partial French Language Services designation in 2017. As part of this designation, the hospital provides information externally in both languages, as well as offers French language service in several departments – Switchboard, Human Resources, Finance, Ambulatory Care.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext. 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH continues gradual expansion of visitation

September 8, 2020 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is continuing to gradually expand hospital visitation to enhance the patient experience. Effective September 8, GBGH is allowing two visitors at a time for inpatients within the set visiting hours of 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. This is an increase from one visitor per patient per day. Inpatient visits will also no longer need to be booked in advance during specific blocks of time.

“We are re-opening visitation in a slow, phased approach to ensure we can maintain the safety of our patients and GBGH team,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “The ideal scenario would be to resume unlimited family presence, meaning patients can have visitors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Unfortunately, that’s just not possible at this time, but this is a positive step forward to ensuring patients can see their loved ones which we know improves their experience and outcomes.”

Emergency department patients may have one visitor remain with them if support is required. Circumstances where support could be required include:

• Pediatric patients – i.e. children under 18 (one guardian permitted with child)
• Language barrier (translation required)
• Mental health/competency/confusion challenges
• Palliative

Patients attending the hospital for scheduled appointments or procedures may have one visitor accompany them if support is required for similar reasons as in the Emergency department (listed above).

All permitted visitors will continue to be screened upon entering the hospital. Any visitor who screens positive for COVID-19 symptoms will be asked to not visit. In exceptional circumstances (such as a support person for a woman in labour, a parent/guardian of a child in the Emergency department or a palliative/end of life patient), a visitor who screens positive for symptoms will be reviewed by GBGH’s infection prevention and control practitioner or hospital coordinator prior to entry.

All visitors must comply with hand hygiene practices, wear a hospital-provided mask and follow physical distancing. Visitors could also be asked to wear additional personal protective equipment as determined by the care team based on a patients’ condition.

Visitor guidelines are subject to change based on the status of the pandemic within the region GBGH serves.

For more information, please visit https://gbgh.on.ca/covid-19-visitor-restrictions/.

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Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

Midland COVID-19 Assessment Centre relocates to GBGH property

August 24, 2020 – Effective Friday, August 28 the Midland COVID-19 Assessment Centre will be moving from its current location at 845 King Street, Midland, to its new location at 1156 St. Andrews Drive, Midland. The new Assessment Centre is located in the clinic building in the Georgian Bay General Hospital’s (GBGH) Midland site parking lot.

The move is happening as the lease on the King Street location finishes at the end of August. That location was chosen as a temporary space due to the urgent need to open an assessment centre in the Midland area in the early stages of the pandemic. With the new location at GBGH, the centre remains easily accessible will not have to re-locate again during the pandemic.

“As it is unknown how long the pandemic will continue, we needed to find a more permanent location for the Assessment Centre,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “The partners involved in managing and staffing the centre agreed that using the existing building on GBGH property is ideal as the centre can remain there for as long as it’s needed. We continue to ask people to book an appointment for swabbing so we can maintain safety and physical distancing of other individuals and staff.”

Appointments for swabbing can be booked via phone by calling 705-529-1025. The call centre scheduling appointments is open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

This assessment centre location has a designated entrance at the back of the building directly accessible from the free parking area, dedicated to those visiting the centre to receive a COVID swab. The parking area can be accessed by entering the GBGH property from the Penetanguishene Road entrance.

The Midland Assessment Centre has swabbed more than 5,000 people since opening March 25, 2020. To date, the centre has been staff by community partners and going forward will continue to be staffed by representatives from GBGH, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Centre de Santé Communautaire CHIGAMIK Community Health Centre, Wendat Community Programs and the North Simcoe Family Health Team.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH allows safe, limited visitation to enhance patient experience

New visitation guidelines have been posted at the entrances to Georgian Bay General Hospital.

July 20, 2020 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is re-opening limited visitation at the hospital to enhance the patient experience. Hospitals across the province restricted visitation in mid-March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and at the direction of the Ontario government.

“It is never an easy decision to restrict patients from having visitors while in hospital as we know family presence improves patient outcomes, experience and has safety benefits such as decreasing patient falls,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “As we expect the pandemic to continue for months and recognizing the positive impact visitors have on patient safety, we have revised our restrictions to allow for a phased, safe approach to visitation. This decision is based on the status of the pandemic in our area, as well as the benefit to patients and families.”

To ensure visitation can take place safely, precautionary measures remain in place.

Admitted patients are permitted one visitor per day during a scheduled visitation time (see below). The exceptions to one visitor includes visitation for a palliative/actively dying patient. In this case, GBGH will allow up to four visitors at a time, as coordinated with the care team.

The hospital is asking visitors to schedule an admitted patient visitation time by calling the hospital’s main phone line at 705-526-1300. The scheduled times are between 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Emergency department patients may have one visitor remain with them if support is required. Circumstances where support could be required include:

• Pediatric patients – i.e. children under 18 (one guardian permitted with child)
• Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care staff supervising a patient
• Central North Correctional Centre (CNCC) staff guarding an inmate
• Language barrier (translation required)
• Mental health/competency/confusion challenges
• Palliative

Patients attending the hospital for scheduled appointments or procedures may have one visitor accompany them if support is required for similar reasons as in the Emergency department (listed above).

All permitted visitors will be screened upon entering the hospital. Any visitor who screens positive for COVID-19 symptoms will be asked to not visit. In exceptional circumstances (such as a support person for a woman in labour, a parent/guardian of a child in the Emergency department or a palliative/end of life patient), a visitor who screens positive for symptoms will be reviewed by GBGH’s infection prevention and control practitioner or hospital coordinator prior to entry.

All visitors must comply with hand hygiene practices, wear a hospital-provided mask and follow physical distancing. Visitors could also be asked to wear additional personal protective equipment as determined by the care team based on a patients’ condition.

Visitor guidelines are subject to change based on the status of the pandemic within the region GBGH serves.

Virtual visitation options are still encouraged where possible. The hospital is offering patients and families the opportunity to visit virtually via the bedside entertainment systems on its inpatient units (2 North, 2 East). Patients on 1 North are able to virtually visit with family using tablets available to all patients on the unit. GBGH continues to offer free telephone, internet and TV service to enable telephone calls between patients and their loved ones.

For more information, please visit https://gbgh.on.ca/covid-19-visitor-restrictions/.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH readies to resume elective procedures

June 15, 2020 – After spending weeks conducting detailed planning to safely resume some elective surgeries and procedures, Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) has received approval to start some surgeries and diagnostic imaging. The hospital is still awaiting approval of ambulatory care and endoscopy procedures, but anticipates this approval by June 22.

Elective surgeries and procedures were halted in mid-March based on direction from the provincial government due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This action was taken to ensure hospitals could maintain inpatient beds, supplies (personal protective equipment – PPE) and medication to care for a potential surge of COVID-19 patients.

“Although necessary, we recognize this situation has been frustrating for patients whose care was postponed due to COVID,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “Hospitals never want to make the difficult decision to delay elective procedures because people have been patiently waiting for their care. Now we must carefully plan how we re-schedule these patients in a timely manner while taking into consideration their condition, enhanced cleaning measures, physical distancing and patient flow through our hospital. Re-opening under these circumstances is a much more complex process than pausing services.”

The resumption of services is based on criteria laid out by the government which must be approved before a hospital can proceed. These include a stable rate of COVID cases in the area, a reliable supply of PPE and medication, having a plan for pre-operative diagnostic testing, and having staff and space to care for patients in the event of a COVID patient surge.

During the past several weeks, GBGH has worked with other hospitals in the region to develop a gradual, staged recovery plan. The first phase of GBGH’s plan focused on resuming surgical and diagnostic imaging procedures. Other procedures will return in the coming weeks as additional approvals are granted.

“GBGH continued performing urgent and emergency procedures during the past three months, but our physicians and staff are eager to return to elective work,” says Dr. Vikram Ralhan, chief of staff and Emergency physician, GBGH. “We know there is a significant backlog in cases and we want to work through these safely and efficiently in the patients’ best interest. Over the coming weeks patients will begin receiving calls to schedule their procedures.”

Patients will have a different experience than they may anticipate when coming to GBGH. The hospital appreciates their cooperation and patience as new precautions could include:

• Changes to the physical environment – how patients enter and travel through the hospital
• Changes to the pre-operative and post-operative process – virtual pre-op appointments, self-isolation for 14 days where feasible and required, recovery
• Safety measures to protect patients and hospital staff – wearing a mask, visitor restrictions

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

Community Assessment Centre available for expanded testing

May 26, 2020 – The COVID-19 Midland Assessment Centre is ready to perform expanded testing in response to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s announcement regarding increased testing across the province.

Testing is available at the Midland Assessment Centre to anyone based on the following expanded criteria:

• Anyone with at least one symptom of COVID-19 (mild symptoms included)
• People who are concerned they have been exposed to COVID-19, including anyone who is in contact with or may have been exposed to a confirmed or suspected case
• People who are at risk of exposure to COVID-19 through their employment, including essential workers (e.g., health care workers, grocery store employees, food processing plants)
• People who want to be tested but have no symptoms or risk of exposure to COVID-19

 The Assessment Call Centre, which schedules appointments, is open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The call centre will provide individuals a booked appointment upon request.

To book an appointment at the Midland Assessment Centre, call 705-529-1025. The centre takes appointments to ensure the safety of the public and staff through physical distancing.

The Community Assessment Centre is a partnership between GBGH, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Chigamik Community Health Centre, Wendat Community Programs and the South Georgian Bay Community Health Centre. The centre is staffed by representatives from these organizations.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH Board of Directors’ Message to the Community

April 21, 2020 – As Chair of Georgian Bay General’s Board of Directors, I’m impressed and humbled by the efforts of our hospital team in preparing for COVID-19.

During this crisis our Board has been meeting virtually to stay updated on the preparation and status at the hospital. Even from afar, we are well aware of all the exceptional efforts being made by GBGH’s talented staff and credentialed staff (physicians, midwives, dentists).

To date, we have been very fortunate at GBGH to have seen very few cases. However, if the hospital were to receive a sudden surge of COVID-19 patients, I know it is prepared.

Although our world as we know it has never seen anything quite like COVID-19, GBGH is adapting to changing circumstances daily. The team is running though scenarios daily to ensure all details are accounted for and preparing spaces designated for COVID care, all the while hoping they will never be filled with patients.

From the leaders planning the details to the staff skillfully executing them, GBGH’s team is taking the necessary next steps as information changes quickly and frequently during this pandemic. By every account, the team has pulled together exceptionally in the face of challenging times and on behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to say a most sincere thank you to all.

I have the utmost confidence in this GBGH team, but as a community, we can still help them help us. First and foremost, please heed the government’s insistence about the importance of continued physical distancing. Please remember to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. As a retired physician, I cannot stress the importance of this enough for preventing the spread of infection.

Please take care of yourselves – both emotionally and physically. If you have symptoms, please seek testing through the Midland Assessment Centre, accessible through the GBGH website (https://gbgh.on.ca/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-updates/) or by calling 705-529-1025.

If you’re able, please consider making a financial contribution to the GBGH Foundation. The preparations for COVID-19 do not come without a cost as the hospital has purchased the necessary equipment to increase our capacity to care for critically ill patients.

Our community has been incredible to GBGH during this pandemic. Thank you for standing by our side, helping your hospital and helping your fellow community members.

Dr. Patrick McNamara

Chair, Board of Directors

Georgian Bay General Hospital