GBGH expands ultrasound service to better serve the community

Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is enhancing ultrasound services in its Diagnostic Imaging department to benefit patients in our community. Hours of operation for ultrasound are increasing and the variety of ultrasound service is expanding. Ultrasound technologist Preslee Jarvis performs an ultrasound on a patient in one of GBGH’s three ultrasound rooms.

September 22, 2021 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is enhancing ultrasound services in its Diagnostic Imaging department for the benefit of inpatients and outpatients in our community. Hours of operation for ultrasound are increasing and the variety of ultrasound service is expanding.

With the addition of a technologist certified in musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound, GBGH will now be able to offer this new service to patients. MSK ultrasound is an important diagnostic tool to capture images of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and cartilage throughout the body. It helps determine where an injury or chronic condition (i.e. tendonitis, rotator cuff tears, joint problems) has occurred and the extent of those injuries or condition. Patients can now request to be referred to GBGH rather than travel outside this area for this procedure.

Additionally, GBGH’s ultrasound hours of operation will increase to 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., Monday to Friday (effective September 25), and 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on weekends (effective September 1). The previous hours were 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, with on-call service on weekends. The goal of extending the hours is to dramatically reduce wait times for non-urgent ultrasounds from 40 days to 14 days.

“By extending our hours and adding this important new service, we are continuing to improve access to important diagnostic procedures for our community,” says Angie Saini, vice president, Clinical Services and chief nursing executive. “Instead of travelling outside our area for shorter wait times elsewhere or for MSK ultrasound, we can now accommodate more patients and offer them additional services, bringing care closer to home for patients.”

Between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, GBGH performed nearly 8,945 ultrasound procedures. Given the changes in hours of operation and services available, GBGH forecasts ultrasound volumes to increase by 1,900 – 2,400 annually.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH’s annual report to the community is now available

GBGH’s annual report to the community is now available on our website. To learn more about the past year at your hospital, check it out here.

GBGH announces next step in resuming visitation to enhance the patient and family experience

July 14, 2021 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is continuing to gradually expand visitation to enhance the patient and family experience. Effective July 14, 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 at a scheduled visitation time. Inpatient visits will no longer need to be booked in advance during specific blocks of time.

“GBGH is very pleased to announce we are continuing to gradually increase visitation as local cases of COVID-19 have decreased in the past few weeks,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “It is never easy for hospitals to limit visitation as we know how much it improves patient outcomes and experience. Decision made about visitation are always carefully considered based on local case data and maintaining the safety of patients and the GBGH team. We look forward to eventually resuming 24/7 family presence once it is deemed safe to do so, and in line with provincial guidance.”

Visitation for outpatients is also changing for the first time since the pandemic began. GBGH will now permit one visitor per patient in the following areas: Emergency department, Ambulatory Care, Diagnostic Imaging and Day Surgery.

Exceptions to visitor restrictions include visitation for a palliative/actively dying patient. In palliative cases, GBGH will allow up to four visitors at a time, as coordinated with the care team. Birthing patients are also permitted two visitors at a time for as long as they require assistance.

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 http://gbgh.on.ca/covid-19-visitor-restrictions/.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

Board of Directors names entire GBGH team as Exceptional People Award recipients

June 29, 2021 – The Board of Directors of Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) has announced the 2020-2021 recipients of the Exceptional People Awards. The entire GBGH team of staff and credentialed staff are being acknowledged with this year’s award.

The Board of Directors’ Exceptional People Awards are announced annually to recognize staff, credentialed staff and volunteers who have made exceptional contributions to GBGH while exhibiting the hospital’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence and the vision of Exceptional People, Every Person, Every Time.

“When deciding on the candidates for the Exceptional People Awards, there was only one clear option for the 2020-2021 recipients,” says Tim Kastelic, chair, GBGH Board of Directors. “Given the pressures the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on all the hospital’s staff and credentialed staff, we feel this year has been profoundly unique, and as such, is a perfect opportunity to recognize the whole GBGH team for their service and sacrifice.”

Given the challenges the GBGH team has endured this past year, the Board felt it would not have been representative to recognize only a few team members for their exceptional contributions. This past year has demonstrated the GBGH team has worked together through every challenge, all while consistently embodying GBGH’s vision, values and strategic themes.

“GBGH’s team of staff and credentialed staff have worked together through adversity and constant change,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “They have come to the hospital uncertain of what lies ahead and have shown great resiliency in spite of it. They have also been called upon to go above and beyond – putting in many hours of planning to ensure our hospital is ready for all pandemic scenarios. Many have worked beyond their regular roles to pitch in where we needed them the most, when we needed them the most.”

In addition to all the extra planning and work associated with the pandemic, the GBGH team has persevered with the details of daily operations, the compassion of patient care and the determined progress achieved on other major projects which still had to move forward.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH Board of Directors elects new chair and welcomes new members

Tim Kastelic – Chair, GBGH Board of Directors

June 28, 2021 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) Board of Directors held its Annual General Meeting June 24, during which the chair and vice chair of the Board were determined and new members were welcomed.

Tim Kastelic was elected as chair of the Board. Kastelic has served on the GBGH Board since 2018, was most recently chair of the Audit and Resource Committee of the Board and previously served two years on the GBGH Foundation Board of Directors. Kastelic’s background includes a long career as an executive in the financial services industry with experience in the areas of strategic planning, marketing, financial planning and organizational performance. Kastelic is a resident of Midland, and has spent nearly 50 years in this area – both as a seasonal and full-time resident.

“I’m excited to be a part of the GBGH team going forward, and am grateful for the opportunity to be a member of the GBGH Board among such dedicated volunteers,” says Kastelic. “Our goal is simple – to ensure high quality care, continually improve the patient experience, and invest in our people to make GBGH an organization of choice for dedicated staff to work and credentialed staff to practice.”

Tay Township resident Bernie Uhlich, who has served on the Board since 2017, was elected as vice chair.

At the AGM, GBGH’s Board also welcomed three new members – Paul Farley, Heather Ross and Stan Wolofsky.

Paul Farley is an attorney specializing in administrative law and professional regulation in the accounting industry. Farley looks forward to bringing his past experience in hospital governance to serve GBGH and the community.

Heather Ross joins the GBGH Board with more than 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry. Heather’s interest in joining GBGH’s Board of Directors stems from her passion to enhance quality, patient care within her local hospital and community.

Stan Wolofsky has worked in social work for a career spanning more than 42 years in both hospital and community settings. Stan’s brings vast experience in the areas of patient and health care advocacy, health system transformation, community collaboration and labour relations.

Other continuing directors on the Board include Sara Lankshear, Bernie Uhlich, Barry Stranks, Britt McKerrow, Jerry Van Dyk and Jim Mulligan, who joined the Board in the fall of 2020.

Departing members of the Board include Kristin Monague and Dr. Patrick McNamara who has completed three years as chair.

“GBGH would like to thank Dr. McNamara for his years of dedicated volunteer service to the hospital in this very important role,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “Dr. McNamara’s thoughtful input, vast experience and insightful leadership have made him a pleasure to work with during his term as Chair.”

Kristin Monague is also departing from the Board after a three-year term. Monague has been a valuable member, contributing important insights and promoting inclusivity of the First Nations perspective in governance decisions. The hospital thanks her valuable contributions, time and dedication since 2018.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH returns to safe, limited visitation to enhance patient experience

June 17, 2021 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is re-opening limited visitation at the hospital to enhance the patient experience. Visitation had been closed at the hospital since December due to increased COVID-19 cases within the community during the second and third waves of the pandemic.

“Sadly, we have not been able to permit visitation with our inpatients for six months due to increased community transmission and variants of concern,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “Our hospital has always based our decisions regarding visitation on the status of the pandemic in our region and provincial guidance. As there is a positive downward trend in cases within our community and the province generally, we’re aligning our visitation policy with the provinces gradual re-opening. Our GBGH team is very pleased to permit limited visitation as we all know how much it means to patients and family.”

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

Admitted patients are permitted one visitor per day at a scheduled visitation time between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. 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 exceptions to one visitor per day at a scheduled time include visitation for a palliative/actively dying patient. In palliative cases, GBGH will allow up to four visitors at a time, as coordinated with the care team. Birthing patients are also permitted one visitor for as long as they require assistance.

Visitation for outpatient services (i.e. Ambulatory Care) and the Emergency department patients remains limited to one visitor if support is required by the patient. 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

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 for the duration of their visit 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 http://gbgh.on.ca/covid-19-visitor-restrictions/.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

Community messages for GBGH Team Appreciation Week

GBGH’s dedicated team of staff and credentialed staff value and appreciate their role of being there for our community when it needs us the most. Throughout the early months of the pandemic, the GBGH team received so many message of gratitude. As the challenging times still linger, we’re inviting community members to once again share their thoughts and thanks.

From June 21 – 26, GBGH will celebrate Team Appreciation Week. Leading into this week, we would love to gather new messages of thanks from our community to show how much you also appreciate them. Send a message via our website’s feedback page:https://gbgh.on.ca/patient-and-visitor/feedback/. Your thoughts and thanks mean so much!

GBGH resumes elective and non-urgent procedures and surgeries

May 21, 2021 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is resuming elective and non-urgent procedures and surgeries, as directed by the Ontario government on May 19, 2021. Directive #2, issued in mid-April by the province, had instructed hospitals to ramp down elective and non-urgent surgeries and procedures, ensuring critical care capacity and human resources were available to care for COVID-19 patients during the third wave of the pandemic.

Upon receiving news Directive #2 was being lifted, GBGH staff and physicians immediately began working together to re-schedule services postponed over the past month. Within 24 hours of the directive being lifted, elective and non-urgent ambulatory care procedures have now resumed at GBGH. Elective and non-urgent surgeries will resume on Tuesday, May 25 to allow time for pre-operative testing.

If a surgery or procedure was postponed during the past month, the hospital or their physician’s office will be contacting patients to re-schedule their appointment.

GBGH estimates 405 procedures and surgeries were postponed over the past month due to the service ramp down. The hospital is finalizing its strategy to address the backlog, which may include adding hours in the surgical and ambulatory care departments.

“The postponement of elective and non-urgent surgeries and procedures was a necessary step to ensure critical care capacity and appropriate human resources were preserved across the hospital system,” says Dr. Vikram Ralhan, chief of staff, GBGH. “The decision to resume these procedures and surgeries really is a balance between ensuring there’s critical care capacity across the hospital system and not further prolonging care for patients. As the demand for critical care has decreased over the past few weeks, we have turned our immediate focus to resuming services and providing care that has been delayed due to pandemic pressures.”

There is still a possibility that elective and non-urgent surgeries and procedures could be postponed again if there is another increase in demand for critical care capacity and/or a fourth wave in the pandemic.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH upgrades cooling system for patient and team safety and comfort this summer

Members of the Facilities team at Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) with the members of the project contractors NuTemp Mechanical, celebrate the completion of a major infrastructure renewal project in front of the new cooling towers located next to the hospital’s boiler plant and Emergency Department (ED) ambulance bay.

May 20, 2021 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) has recently completed major upgrades to its cooling system to ensure patient and team safety and comfort throughout the hospital. GBGH was able to complete this important project, which included replacing the existing chiller and cooling tower with two new chillers and two new cooling towers, over several months in time for rising temperatures this summer. The upgrade was possible due to provincial funding from the Hospital Infrastructure Renewal Fund, which is allocated to replace aging infrastructure in Ontario hospitals.

The two new units, now operational, will provide the hospital with a back-up chiller in the event of a future breakdown, allow for future infrastructure growth and enhance the patient experience during the summer months by providing reliability and better temperature/humidity control.

“During the cooling seasons, it’s important that we are able to reliably control temperature and humidity levels throughout the hospital,” says Nicholas Boudreau, manager, Facilities & Security, GBGH. “Air regulation in healthcare settings is an essential part in providing safe care, as efficient air regulation is critical for reducing the risk of airborne infection. Effective humidity control is also critical to maintaining sterilization of medical devices and tools.”

The expected lifespan of the new system is 15 to 20 years. The previous chiller and cooling tower were 20 years of age and in need of replacement for reliability and efficiency reasons. The old cooling tower was also located on the roof of GBGH and the two new towers are now located on specially engineered platforms outside the hospital’s boiler plant and Emergency department.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca

GBGH Laboratory receives exceptional performance score

May 14, 2021 – Georgian Bay General Hospital’s (GBGH) Laboratory team achieved a result of 99 per cent during its recent Accreditation Canada (AC) Diagnostic Survey. GBGH’s Laboratory participated in the three-day assessment between April 19 and 21, 2021, during which it was evaluated on 468 requirements in hematology, chemistry, transfusion medicine and microbiology. The survey reviews the Laboratory’s commitment to quality and safety initiatives, as well as adherence to internationally recognized standards.

In preparation for the AC Diagnostic Survey, GBGH’s Lab Team introduced many new quality improvement projects including rapid molecular testing for antibiotic resistant organisms which helps improve patient flow in the hospital’s inpatient units. When patients can be tested and the results received quickly, the hospital is able to make timely and informed decisions on where to place patients such as in a ward room with other patients or in an isolation room for infection prevention and control reasons.

The Laboratory also began COVID-19 rapid testing which improved access to testing and turnaround times for inpatients and patients scheduled for surgeries who need a negative COVID-19 test prior to their procedure.

“To achieve this level of success with accreditation it requires a dedicated team,” says Erin Kominek, manager, Diagnostic Services and Laboratory, GBGH. “The GBGH Laboratory Team is a group of hardworking individuals who are committed to providing quality results to the communities they serve. I would like to congratulate the entire team on achieving this exceptional accomplishment.”

GBGH’s last Laboratory AC Diagnostic Survey took place in 2017. At that time, the Laboratory achieved a result of 95 per cent.

Contact:

Jennifer Moore

Communications Officer, GBGH

705-526-1300 ext 5177

moorejen@gbgh.on.ca