COVID-19 Surgical & Ambulatory Procedures

February 11, 2022

Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is resuming elective and non-urgent procedures and surgeries, as directed by the Ontario government. As per provincial guidance, GBGH had ramped down non-urgent surgeries and procedures on January 7, ensuring critical care capacity and human resources were available to care for COVID-19 and other acute patients.

Upon receiving news the hospital could resume elective and non-urgent procedures, GBGH staff and physicians immediately began working together to re-schedule services postponed over the past month. If a surgery or procedure was postponed during January or February, the hospital or the patient’s physician will contact individuals to re-schedule.

GBGH estimates 245 procedures and surgeries were postponed (January 7 and January 31) due to the service ramp down. The hospital is finalizing its strategy to address the backlog, which may include adding hours in the surgical, ambulatory care and diagnostic imaging departments.

There is still a possibility that elective and non-urgent surgeries and procedures could be postponed depending on the status of the pandemic.