For the past couple of years, Georgian Bay General Hospital has established a plan to ensure patients get necessary surgical procedures completed faster.
Recognizing the surgical backlogs created by the pandemic, combined with the need to improve access to surgical care close to home for patients, the Midland hospital has pursued a deliberate strategy to optimize and grow its surgical program.
“People are surprised to learn of some procedures we can do here at GBGH, and we’ve expanded our services to meet the growing need,” GBGH chief of staff Dr. Vikram Ralhan said, noting the move ensures more residents can get surgery at their local hospital.
Part of the surgical program’s expansion has included diversifying the procedures the hospital is able to offer as well as increasing the use of the hospital’s second operating room by offering it to surgeons from other area hospitals.
Based on this approach, GBGH has increased surgical volumes by between 135 and 170 percent from pre-pandemic levels. And depending on the procedure, day surgeries have also increased between 30 and 60 percent.
“Improved access locally and timely care are top priorities for GBGH as we know over 2,000 patients are leaving our area for procedures we can perform at GBGH,” Ralhan said.
“The goal is to have those patients receive their care at our hospital. Not only does it cut down on thousands of hours and kilometres in travel, it reduces wait times, which is a priority for the government.”
To that end, Ralhan said that by having a procedure done at GBGH it creates capacity at other hospitals with the goal of decreasing wait times for their local patients.
To reduce wait times, GBGH collaborates with physicians and regional hospital partners to offer its available OR time for surgeons to see more patients. This collaboration has also enabled GBGH to entice specialists to provide care to local patients because the hospital can accommodate their need for OR time.
New to GBGH’s list of surgical services in 2023 was endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which uses a new piece of equipment called the C-Arm to access and repair bile and pancreatic ducts.
The device can also be used in orthopedic and plastic surgeries – both of which now occur regularly in GBGH’s two ORs.
Other procedures performed in the surgical and ambulatory care departments include gynecology, urology, ear/nose/throat and cataract surgeries, as well as complex laparoscopic surgeries to treat gastrointestinal conditions.
As well, the hospital recently welcomed a new chief of surgery, Dr. Bonnie Shum.
“I came to GBGH from a large urban hospital with all the resources you could want in a surgical program,” she said.
“When I toured GBGH, I met a compassionate and talented team who could offer so much more than I expected in a rural community hospital.”
Shum said that with the talented team at GBGH, the surgical program is well-supported to be successful.
“In a rural surgical setting, you must be resourceful and broaden your skill set, but that has been a smooth transition here,” said Shum, who joined GBGH three years ago and has noticed volumes increasing for both elective and emergency cases.
Shum replaces Dr. Paige Churchill in the role with Churchill remaining a hospital surgeon as part of the hospital’s core team of five general surgeons with more than 20 specialty surgeons available to perform procedures.
“My goal is to continue identifying specialties which will benefit our community, as well as work on sustaining the incredible progress made to date,” Shum said.
“I’m fortunate to have this opportunity to give back to my community as a physician and a resident.”
