GBGH on track to deliver nearly 200 babies this year

Constance Imrie with baby Glenn Paul Imrie – the one-hundredth baby to be born since April at Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH). With a revitalized birthing program, GBGH was expecting to have 150 births this fiscal year, but is actually tracking to deliver nearly 200 babies.

October 31, 2019 – After partnering with Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) to continue providing birthing services to its community, Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) has revitalized its birthing program and is tracking to deliver nearly 200 babies in this fiscal year (April 1, 2019 – March 31, 2020). The hospital’s target for this fiscal year was 150.

“We just bought a house in Midland and we wanted to have our son in our home community,” says Constance Imrie, a patient of the regional birthing program at GBGH. “I can’t say enough positive things about our experience at GBGH. The care we received was amazing and even though our son had some mild complications after birth, the team worked so well together, and with OSMH, to assess the situation and provide great, safe care.”

Constance and Doug Imrie recently had the distinction of having GBGH’s one-hundredth birth of the year. With the assistance of the Midland Midwives, Imrie gave birth to Glenn Paul Imrie – a healthy six pound, five ounce boy on September 30.

“Our numbers have dramatically risen which makes this partnership a great success story – for our hospital, our patients and our community,” says Lucille Perreault, vice president, Clinical Services and chief nursing executive, GBGH. “I strongly believe we can attribute this to increasing awareness that GBGH is delivering babies and offering a positive experience for patients and families. Expecting mothers want to have their children in their home community and we want to continue not only providing this service, but growing it as well.”

In 2017, GBGH and OSMH formalized an agreement to offer joint birthing services across North Simcoe. In this partnership, GBGH provides low-risk birthing services in Midland, while higher-risk births are transferred to OSMH. There is a comprehensive process to assess and direct mothers to the appropriate centre for labour and delivery of their babies.

“We’re so pleased with the progress and growth GBGH’s birthing unit has experienced over the past two years as part of our partnership,” says Cheryl Harrison, executive vice president, Patient Care & People Strategy, OSMH. “Yes, this is a unique model – having one program shared between two hospitals – that remains the only one of its kind in the province, but more important, it means women in North Simcoe have seamless access to birthing services between the two organizations.”

The Regional Birthing Program at the GBGH site has increased the services it provides, offering epidurals, nitrous oxide and has also purchased a birthing tub as an additional pain management option in labour. Nursing staff, midwives and physicians have also been participating in enhanced training to ensure their skills are aligned with Best Practices.

To showcase all GBGH’s birthing program has to offer, the hospital is hosting a community open house on November 26 from 4 – 6 p.m. For more information, please visit dev.gbgh.on.ca.

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