Imagine the Possible!
Our Future Vision
December 1, 2016
Collingwood General and Marine Hospital is on the road to redevelopment submitting its Stage 1 A/B Master Program/Master Plan, the vision of what your future hospital could be, to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care on September 30, 2016. This wraps up the first of five stages on the redevelopment journey. At this time we are awaiting the Ministry's feedback and approval, prior to moving to Stage 2.
Now that the vision has started to take shape, we would like you to Imagine The Possible. Imagine what your future hospital could be to you and your family, as it serves the region of south Georgian Bay in the decades to come.
Over the next few months we will be sharing new visionary aspects of what your future hospital may hold each week through the Enterprise Bulletin, social media #ImagineThePossible and on the redevelopment portal of http://www.cgmh.on.ca/redevelopment.
Imagine a hospital designed to complement the regions' wellness approach - a facility that is not just environmentally friendly, senior friendly and accessible, but which focuses on the health and wellness of everyone who enters its doors - through the air you breathe, the lighting used, the food you receive, all designed to promote and support the healing process for patients and the wellbeing of visitors, staff, physicians and volunteers.
Imagine a facility growing to twice its current size, to 120 beds (from the current 68) to meet the level of care that is needed across our region. Imagine 14 rehabilitation beds in the hospital, allowing patients requiring immediate rehabilitation services access to care closer to home, instead of travelling to a different facility.
Imagine local access to new clinical services such as a pain management and pacemaker clinic. Imagine more dialysis treatment stations to service more patients locally. Imagine on-site chemotherapy treatments through a satellite clinic, as we enhance our regional partnerships. Imagine access to an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine in the region, eliminating travel and decreasing wait times for access to the services.
December 8, 2016
As Collingwood General and Marine Hospital continues with the second week of #ImagineThePossible, we ask you to imagine a future campus of care where potential community partners such as long-term care, community mental health, other healthcare services and teaching partners such as Georgian College co-exist together in close proximity.
Imagine a campus connected by walking trails through an abundance of green space and serenity gardens, all conducive to the overall healing process and well-being of patients, families, staff and physicians who work in the area.
Within the campus, imagine increased learning opportunities at the hospital so that mentorship is provided beyond nursing and medical students, to physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nutrition services, facilities personnel and more, as we focus on inter-professional education and co-learning - a true interdisciplinary approach, in a hospital designed to meet the needs of these learners.
Now that the vision has started to take shape, we would like you to Imagine The Possible. Imagine what your future hospital could be to you and your family, as it serves the region of south Georgian Bay in the decades to come.
December 15, 2017
As Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) continues with the third week of #ImagineThePossible, we ask you to imagine a hospital designed to complement the region's wellness approach - a facility that is not just environmentally friendly, senior friendly and accessible, but which focuses on the health and wellness of everyone who enters its doors - through the air you breathe, the lighting used, the food you receive, all designed to promote and support the healing process for patients and the wellbeing of visitors, staff, physicians and volunteers.
As the hospital continues to plan for the future it aims to be the first Healthy Hospital in Canada, with a focus on the health and wellness of everyone in the building. The facility would be designed to enhance human health and wellbeing, as it believes stimulating health and behaviours is key to keeping people well, prior to becoming sick and in the hospital.
Imagine a hospital built with effective design strategies that wrap around the internal elements; a healthy hospital is about the effects of space on individuals.
Imagine a hospital that focuses on your overall wellbeing and comfort, an environment that encourages a healthier, active lifestyle and an environment designed to promote a more active recovery, while reducing exposure to harmful chemicals and pollutants.
Now that the vision has started to take shape, we would like you to Imagine The Possible. Imagine what your future hospital could be to you and your family, as it serves the region of South Georgian Bay in the decades to come.
December 29, 2016
As Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) continues with the fourth week of #ImagineThePossible, we ask you to imagine your hospital growing to 120 beds, including 14 rehabilitation beds over a 20 year period.
CGMH currently sits at 68 beds, but is consistently overcapacity. This bed growth will allow the hospital to meet the needs of our growing South Georgian Bay community, but is operationally sustainable. By opening 14 rehabilitation beds, care will be provided closer to home for patients recovering from surgery.
Imagine a hospital designed to truly meet the changing demographic of patients that we see, including a sub-cluster of short stay/acute medical beds (approximately 6) to accommodate patients with dementia and behavioural issues. This designated area will provide the optimal environment for the care of this patient population, while additionally supporting geriatric programming.
To accomplish this, rooms in this area are larger than regular unit rooms to allow for additional beds and chairs for family members. Rooms are designed so that beds can be moved around, allowing a familiar layout/routine for a patient to be kept. There's room to house memorabilia such as photo albums and familiar items to keep patients feeling at home and calm. Lighting and paint colours could be modified to provide a soothing feeling in this area. The sub-cluster would have a large visitor area for health team and family conferences, and is structured in a way for optimal staff visibility.
Now that the vision has started to take shape, we would like you to Imagine The Possible. Imagine what your future hospital could be to you and your family, as it serves the region of South Georgian Bay in the decades to come.
January 5, 2017
Imagine The Possible - 80% Private rooms
Imagine your family member or loved one recovering in a bright and peaceful private room, with accessible private washroom facilities. Now imagine 80% of the patient rooms in your new hospital being built to this standard.
Your future hospital could see approximately 30% more private rooms than we have available today, as the hospital grows to approximately 120 beds, including 14 rehabilitation beds over a 20 year period.
More private rooms will greatly impact our patients' ability to rest and recover in a quiet and calm area, will help reduce the spread of infection by providing more isolation opportunities, improve patient privacy and confidentiality, and support the family being at the bedside. With increased privacy comes more patient education opportunities at the bedside, without the risk of confidential patient information being overheard. It will also enhance the patient experience by reducing disruptive patient moves throughout a patient's stay with us.
Knowing this vision is still a decade away, CGMH continues to work hard to maintain today's aging patient rooms and facilities, to support its top notch patient care.
Now that the vision has started to take shape, we would like you to Imagine The Possible. Imagine what your future hospital could be to you and your family, as it serves the region of South Georgian Bay in the decades to come.
January 12, 2017
Imagine your family member or loved one having access to an outpatient pain management clinic where their persistent or chronic pain could be cared for locally, with support systems in place from the hospital, in partnership with Community Mental Health Services.
Now imagine this as part of the newly redeveloped hospital that services the region of South Georgian Bay.
Chronic pain affects nearly one in five Canadians. It's a disabling problem, often involving physical, psychological, social and occupational factors.
Imagine a program that provides patients with education about their condition and works with them to develop strategies for coping with pain, so that they may live as full and functional a life as possible, which is also collaboratively managed with the patient's family physician.
While it may not be possible to cure the underlying reason for the chronic pain, through a combination of treatments, the patient's quality of life and functioning may be improved significantly.
Now that the vision has started to take shape, we would like you to Imagine The Possible. Imagine what your future hospital could be to you and your family, as it serves the region of South Georgian Bay in the decades to come.
January 26, 2017
Imagine your family member or loved one who is battling cancer having access to a local Satellite Chemotherapy outpatient clinic at the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, instead of travelling to receive this care, as we look to expand our partnership with Cancer Care Ontario, as we continue along our redevelopment journey.
Imagine patients connecting with their oncologist through a "Skype" type of call in collaboration with the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN), equipment set up at the hospital where a patient and a CGMH nurse consult with the specialist through a large TV screen. While this technology
Now, imagine the patient's daughter or brother who lives on the West coast connecting to the 'virtual' appointment to support their loved one - a true continuum of care.
This is all part of the vision of your future Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, as our satellite oncology series are integrated within the regional cancer care delivery model - expanding our partnership with Cancer Care Ontario.
Proposed Services in the potential outpatient Oncology Clinic include pre and post chemotherapy visits and care for disease specific chemotherapy. Supportive Treatments include IV Hydration and Blood Transfusions, and Procedures such as bone marrow, PICC assessment or removal and VAD flushes, with supports such as Social Work put in place.
While we continue to imagine the possible, it should be noted that the scope of cancer care to be provided at CGMH in satellite services - in keeping with Cancer Care Ontario's strategic direction is highly dependent on the hospital being redeveloped. Only a small component of cancer care can be provided currently in the existing facility and this limitation would continue if the hospital is not able to move forward with redevelopment.
Now that the vision has started to take shape, we would like you to Imagine The Possible. Imagine what your future hospital could be to you and your family, as it serves the region of South Georgian Bay in the decades to come.
February 3, 2017
It's a busy day at the ski hill and the conditions are a little icy. Misfortune strikes and you take a bad tumble. You are taken by ambulance to the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, as your pain is getting worse. Now, imagine access to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine at your local hospital.
A large, tube shaped magnet, an MRI machine uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the organs and tissues, including the chest, abdomen and pelvis.
While the pain is sharp and increasing, you are grateful that this MRI machine is available locally, and you don't have to go to a neighbouring hospital, almost an hour away.
This is not a scenario that anyone truly wishes to imagine, but as the closest acute care centre to the local ski hills, CGMH is the first stop.
Currently, many in the region continue to endure pain and discomfort, while waiting for up to 132 days or longer for access to an MRI, well over the provincial average of 89 days. The addition of an MRI to our hospital could bring our patients' wait time significantly closer to the provincial target of 28 days. Imagine the benefit of this to these patients!
We continue to imagine the possibility of an MRI in our redeveloped facility to better support the hospital's increasing musculoskeletal trauma patient population and improve access to wait times in the region, but are still focused on the realities of today, as we continue to raise funds to replace operating room lights, surgical tools, patient beds and cardiac monitors, all of which could one day come with us to a future site.
Now that the vision has started to take shape, we would like you to Imagine The Possible. Imagine what your future hospital could be to you and your family, as it serves the region of South Georgian Bay in the decades to come.
February 15, 2017
Our heart is a key driver of our health, but for individuals with pacemakers, their hearts need a little extra boost.
Now imagine access to a local Pacemaker Clinic, run as an Ambulatory Care Clinic at the hospital, with access to staff members who specialize in the treatment and care of patients who have an implanted rhythm device. Imagine being able to receive this care closer to home, in partnership with the care provided by your family physician and cardiologist.
Imagine having access to a local clinic that looks after all specialized aspects of your healthcare needs related to this device, providing on-going follow up of the device, along with patient and family education about the device.
How does the heart work? Our heart has a natural electrical system that controls the heartbeat. A specialized group of cells in the right atrium (top right chamber of your heart) sends electrical signals to the rest of the heart at a rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute. These cells are the natural pacemaker of the heart. When these cells send stimuli to the rest of the heart, the top and bottom chambers of the heart squeeze and pump blood out to the rest of the body.
A pacemaker is a small device that monitors the heart's electrical activity. This device is able to send electrical impulses to the heart if the heart rate becomes too slow - keeping it in line.
Now that the vision has started to take shape, we would like you to Imagine The Possible. Imagine what your future hospital could be to you and your family, as it serves the region of South Georgian Bay in the decades to come.