A Letter to Our Community – March 31, 2020

A Letter to Our Community

During uncertain times, we want our community to understand how Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is preparing to address the COVID-19 global pandemic. As always, ensuring the safety of our patients and team of dedicated and skilled professionals is our highest priority. We need our staff and physicians to be here for you, providing exceptional care to every patient, every time.

Ensuring safety has led to some difficult decisions – ones we wish we didn’t have to make.

In addition to screening every person entering the hospital, we cancelled non-urgent surgeries and procedures to reduce visits to the hospital. Under normal circumstances we never want to cancel services, but these times are not business as usual. In doing this, we have more resources to re-direct toward COVID-19 and most importantly, to help ensure non-urgent patients remain socially distanced.

As much as we understand the positive impact family and friends have on our patients, GBGH has restricted visitation for safety reasons. This is not a decision we take lightly. To help patients and loved ones stay connected, the hospital is now offering free television, phone and internet service.

We wish there were never times when we have to turn away our patient’s loved ones, but we need to preserve their safety as much as that of our patients and team. Patients will continue to need love and support as they return home, so we ask their families and friends to stay safe, practice social distancing and remain healthy for them in the future.

When it comes to love and support, our community is certainly showing theirs for GBGH. We appreciate everyone’s overwhelming outpouring of gratitude for our hospital team. It certainly does not go unnoticed and provides that extra boost our team needs to get through challenges. We are encouraging messages and photos of thanks for the hospital through social media using #AllHandsOnDeck, #HeartfeltThanksForGBGH and @GBGHFoundation.

As healthcare providers continue doing all we can to prevent the spread of infection, a COVID-19 Assessment Centre has been opened in Midland – through a partnership with Chigamik Community Health Centre and Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. This clinic was established to meet the needs of community members who have symptoms. The Centre is available by appointment only to ensure social distancing and effectively manage the need for screening, and where appropriate, testing. Information about the Centre can be found on GBGH’s website – https://gbgh.on.ca/midland-covid-19-assessment-centre/.

GBGH is well-prepared to respond to COVID-19 taking all precautions necessary to ensure safety – both inside our hospital and in the broader community. Everything our hospital does wouldn’t be possible without our exceptional team. Each day they make us proud and confident we will meet the challenges ahead.

Gail Hunt – President and CEO, GBGH

Dr. Vikram Ralhan – Chief of Staff, GBGH

GBGH OR begins shoulder surgery as surgical program expands

Dr. Olivia Cheng (front left), orthopedic surgeon, performs a shoulder repair surgery at Georgian Bay General Hospital.

February 11, 2020 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is now providing shoulder repair surgery as part of the hospital’s expansion of surgical services. GBGH was funded for 33 shoulder surgeries in 2019-2020 by the Ministry of Health, enabling the hospital to provide this care to its community.

These procedures – including repairing the shoulder joint, rotator cuff and clavicular joints, as well as muscles and tendons of the arm around the shoulder – are needed within GBGH’s North Simcoe catchment area. Nearly 100 patients from Tiny, Tay, Midland, Penetanguishene, Springwater and Wasaga received shoulder inspection/repair outside this region last year.

“We are working diligently to find opportunities to expand our surgical program to benefit both our community and GBGH,” says Lucille Perreault, vice president of clinical services and chief nursing executive, GBGH. “We know how important it is for patients to receive care within their own community whenever possible and we’re very pleased to be able to provide this new service.”

In preparation for performing shoulder procedures, GBGH purchased equipment to perform these procedures including arthroscopes/laproscopes, a shoulder scope set and an E-Z lift beach chair and shoulder table accessory storage cart. The hospital was able to buy this equipment due to funds raised at the Glenn Howard Charity Golf Tournament for enhancing GBGH’s surgical program.

As shoulder surgeries are a new procedure for GBGH, the operating room team received the required training in the fall and the hospital began offering this service in November 2019. As of the end of January, GBGH had performed 15 shoulder surgeries and will complete all 33 cases by the end of March. Shoulder repairs performed at GBGH are typically day surgeries and are considered Quality Based Procedures, offering additional funding from the Ministry of Health to hospitals.

Local patients have already voiced their appreciation for having this service available close to home.

“In December I had rotator cuff surgery at GBGH and wanted to say how pleased I was with the whole experience,” says patient Paul Jagos. “The facilities were clean and updated with new equipment. The nurses, anesthesiologist and surgeon were courteous, kind and professional. Everything was explained so even I knew what was going to happen. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone involved for making my experience as pleasant as possible.”

The procedures are being performed by orthopedic surgeons from GBGH, Collingwood and Barrie.

Contact:
Jennifer Moore
Communications Officer, GBGH
705-526-1300 ext 5177
moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH physician honoured with prestigious award

Dr. Peter Kizoff (left), co-chief hospitalist at Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH), was recently presented with an Award of Excellence from the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP), recognizing his efforts to provide medical assistance in dying care to patients. Dr. Kizoff received the award November 28, 2019 from Dr. Elizabeth Muggah (right), OCFP president-elect.

January 14, 2020 – Dr. Peter Kizoff, co-chief hospitalist at Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH), recently received a 2019 Award of Excellence from the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP). Through this award, Dr. Kizoff is being specifically recognized for his efforts to ensure access to compassionate medical assistance in dying (MAiD) care in our region.

Recipients of this award – which recognizes family doctors who have demonstrated exceptional achievement within the past 24 months pertaining to the specialty of family medicine – are nominated by peers or the public.

“I am very honoured to have received this award because it’s an opportunity to recognize the importance of compassionate end-of-life care,” says Dr. Kizoff. “I have been such a strong proponent of access to medical assistance in dying because it should be available to those who need it, when they need it. Offering this care to patients is the right thing to do.”

Dr. Kizoff, of Tiny Township, retired from full-time family practice in 2016 after 32 years and has since focused on palliative and MAiD care. He was one of the first physicians in the Barrie area to be an assessor and provider of MAiD, providing care in patients’ homes, local hospices and in hospital. He joined GBGH in 2016 as a hospitalist and became co-chief hospitalist in 2017.

“We are very fortunate to have exceptional and dedicated physicians like Dr. Kizoff as part of our credentialed staff team at GBGH,” says Dr. Jeffrey Tyberg, interim chief of staff, GBGH. “His efforts to make MAiD accessible to our community are outstanding and are a crucial part of patient-centred care. Dr. Kizoff is a true leader in his commitment to providing MAiD care and guidance both within Simcoe County and beyond our region.”

Dr. Kizoff received this honour November 28, 2019 at the OCFP awards ceremony in Toronto.

Contact:
Jennifer Moore
Communications Officer, GBGH
705-526-1300 ext 5177
moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

Enteric outbreak over on GBGH’s 2 East unit

December 29, 2019 – An enteric outbreak on the 2 East at Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) has been declared over, in consultation with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. GBGH met the criteria for the outbreak to end based on the hospital remaining without additional cases for five days, measured from the last patient case on December 24.

“Our team took quick action to prevent the spread of the virus from the five symptomatic cases to other patients on 2 East and throughout the building,” says Janine Duquette, infection prevention and control practitioner, GBGH. “This had a significant impact on reducing the spread of infection. Our outbreak management team was very diligent in ensuring infection prevention and control practices were followed so we could reduce the length of the outbreak, therefore reducing the risk to other patients on the unit.”

In quick response to the five hospital-acquired enteric cases, the hospital immediately implemented enhanced infection prevention and control measures including increased housekeeping, use of personal protective equipment, and meticulous hand hygiene practices. Visitation instructions for 2 East have now been removed.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH achieves highest standard in recent Accreditation survey

December 18, 2019 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) has received the results of its recent Accreditation survey and has achieved the highest level – Accredited with Exemplary Standing.

“Accreditation is a chance for our hospital to showcase everything we do well in providing high-quality, safe care,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “This result clearly demonstrates our commitment to safe, high-quality care and the high standards to which we hold ourselves accountable. I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved here and it’s all because of the dedicated team who rise to challenges and never give up on providing exceptional care to our patients and community.”

Over the four-day survey in November, GBGH was evaluated on more than 2,300 standards and 31 Required Organizational Practices (ROPs). The hospital achieved 100 per cent of ROPs and 98 per cent of standards to reach this level of achievement.

Particular strengths of GBGH noted during the survey include patient and family involvement in decision-making, investments in developing leaders and engaging staff, medication management, the regional birthing partnership, community support and strong partnerships, recruitment, cleanliness, improved nurse to patient ratio, communication and commitment to consistently reviewing the quality of care provided at the hospital.

“The results of the on-site survey point to areas of success and areas where there are opportunities for improvement, which will be built into the organization’s ongoing quality improvement program between now and our next Accreditation survey in four years,” says Dr. Patrick McNamara, chair, GBGH Board of Directors. “Preparing for the survey is no small feat and I’m very proud of the GBGH team for their exceptional efforts.”

Accreditation is a voluntary assessment process conducted by Accreditation Canada – an independent, not-for-profit Canadian organization – which evaluates more than 1,100 Canadian organizations across the entire spectrum of healthcare. During accreditation, all aspects of the organization are assessed based on best practices, to identify what the organization does well and what needs to be improved.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH names new chief of staff to lead hospital’s medical staff

December 17, 2019 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) and its Board of Directors has appointed Dr. Vikram Ralhan as chief of staff for a three-year term, effective February 1, 2020. Dr. Ralhan, who was one of six internal and external candidates considered, will begin his transition into the role in January 2020.

“In addition to being a dedicated, compassionate and thorough physician in GBGH’s Emergency department (ED) since 2009, Dr. Ralhan has also embraced many administrative, quality improvement and educational roles beyond direct patient care,” says Dr. Patrick McNamara, chair, GBGH Board of Directors. “We look forward to many valuable contributions as Dr. Ralhan leads our medical staff over the next several years.”

In addition to being a valuable member of GBGH’s ED team, Dr. Ralhan is a coroner, an assistant adjunct professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University and an assistant professor of Clinical Sciences with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM). He is also the GBGH site liaison lead for students from NOSM, helping bring future physicians to the hospital to learn from a skilled team.

Dr. Ralhan is as passionate about developing physicians and frontline care as he is about quality and safety. As GBGH’s medical quality lead since 2018, Dr. Ralhan has played an integral role in developing and implementing continuous improvement initiatives at the hospital, always bringing his innovative and unique clinical perspective to help improve quality of care.

“When considering applying for the chief of staff, my primary motivation was to help improve care in the hospital for all our patients,” says Dr. Ralhan. “I want to drive quality improvement in all the things we do, while fostering a positive culture with the GBGH medical staff and administration. We have a strong executive team with a vision that not only reflects providing good care in the hospital, but working with our community partners as a whole.”

This past June, Dr. Ralhan was a recipient of one of the highest honours presented to a staff or credentialed staff member by the GBGH Foundation – the Hartogg Innovation in Health Award. Not only recognized for his many professional contributions to the hospital and quality improvement, Dr. Ralhan is a committed supporter of and advocate for the hospital’s Foundation, speaking with donors to offer the physician’s perspective on why equipment is vital to the care GBGH provides.

Contact:
Jennifer Moore
Communications Officer, GBGH
705-526-1300 ext 5177
moorejen@gbgh.on.ca