collingwood general and marine hospital · cgmh is an acute care hospital providing emergency care,...

COLLINGWOOD GENERAL AND MARINE HOSPITAL

ANNUAL REPORT 2019/2020

We’re ‘always’ all in this together

L E A R N M O R E

BY THE NUMBERS2019/20 FISCAL YEAR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

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https://cgmh.on.ca/uploads/files/afs-2019-20.pdf

Visit our website at www.cgmh.on.ca Follow us on Twitter @CollingwoodHosp

Like us on Facebook /CollingwoodGMHospital Follow us on Instagram /collingwoodgmhospital/

STAY CONNEC TEDW I T H C G M H

CGMH is an acute care hospital providing emergency care, diagnostic services including lab, imaging and cardio respiratory therapy, as well as two inpatient units (medicine and surgery). In addition, CGMH also provides care in specialty areas including obstetrics, orthopaedics, intensive care and surgery. The hospital also provides outpatient care including dialysis and a wide range of clinics including mental health and rehabilitation services. CGMH continues to provide care close to home for our community and plays a key role as an integrated orthopaedic centre for our region.

459 Hume Street Collingwood, Ontario L9Y 1W9 (705) 445-2550

Collingwood General & Marine Hospital (CGMH) is a 74-bed hospital located in Collingwood, ON, and serves more than 60,000 permanent residents and 3.5 million annual visitors to the communities of Wasaga Beach, Collingwood, Clearview and the Blue Mountains.


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https://cgmh.on.ca

https://twitter.com/collingwoodhosp

https://www.facebook.com/CollingwoodGMHospital/

https://www.instagram.com/collingwoodgmhospital/

OUTSTANDING CARE - FOR LIFE.

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- INCLUSIVE

- CARING

- ACCOUNTABLE

- RESPECTFUL

- EXCELLENCE

- ADAPTABLE

- TEAMWORK

CGMH 2020

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OUR PEOPLE

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CARING ACCOUNTABLE RESPECTFUL

CGMH 2020 TEAMWORK ADAPTABLE

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VISION

Advancing community health through compassionate, innovative and collaborative care.

MISSION

VALUES

COLLINGWOOD GENERAL AND MARINE HOSPITAL STRATEGIC PLAN

CGMH

At Collingwood General

and Marine Hospital we are

anchored by our vision, mission

and values and guided by our

strategic directions - CGMH 2020.

We innovate continuously and successfully in all that we do.

We will seek innovative solutions to enhance the patient experience, health outcomes for our community, and hospital sustainability while strengthening existing and building new partnerships.

We deeply value our skilled and dedicated staff, physicians and volunteers.

We will ensure a healthy, safe and inclusive workplace which embraces our organizational values. Building upon a culture of engagement in an interprofessional setting, our people will be empowered and encouraged to contribute their input and expertise to enrich the patient experience today and introduce new ideas tomorrow. We are committed to safety, diversity, open dialogue, continuous learning/development and the education of the next generation of our people.

We Will: • continue to invest in our people to be the absolute best they can be • recruit and retain highly skilled people who reside in the local area • foster and build capacity within our people today and for the future

We focus on the ongoing evolving needs of our patients and families.

We will provide compassionate patient and family-centered care of the highest standard to deliver an exceptional experience. Within a best practice environment, key drivers will include the patient/family voice, and a culture of innovation and safety.

We Will: • improve access to timely and appropriate care, particularly with respect to emergency care and care transitions • advance care closer to home • enhance capacity and coordination for seniors and individuals with complex needs

CGMH 2020

PATIENT EXPERIENCE

INNOVATION

We Will: • find innovative methods to manage financial sustainability in support of our mission and accountability for the patient experience• seek and share innovative ideas to improve service delivery and create value across the health system• plan for a new hospital designed to advance human health and well-being with our community and our partners• be a leader in informing and optimizing funding methodology for medium-sized hospitals• harness technology to foster efficiency and accomplish our goals

PARTNERSHIPS

OUR PEOPLE

We collaborate with our community and across the health system for patients to receive a seamless, integrated experience within and beyond our hospital.

We will contribute to the development of a care delivery system that builds upon and significantly advances the health of our community. We will continue to work with our many partners so that patients receive care in the most appropriate setting and find it easier to navigate the health “system”. We align with provincial and community priorities to transform and integrate the healthcare system.

We Will: • collaborate with members of the South Georgian Bay Alliance to achieve a stronger and more effective local system of care • collaborate with other valued partners including primary care, neighbouring hospitals, regional and provincial health providers, as well as our patients and their families

PATIE

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CARING ACCOUNTABLE RESPECTFUL

CGMH 2020 TEAMWORK ADAPTABLE

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COLLINGWOOD GENERAL AND MARINE HOSPITAL STRATEGIC PLAN2 0 1 9/ 2 02 0 C O L L I N G W O O D G E N E R A L A N D M A R I N E H O S P I TA L A N N U A L R E P O R T

C O L L I N G W O O D G E N E R A L A N D M A R I N E H O S T P I T A L S T R A T E G I C P L A N

2019-20 started with a dedicated focus on preparing for our hospital’s Accreditation in 2021, moving forward the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team (SGB OHT), advancing the hospital’s Redevelopment and the launch of a significant electronic health record (MEDITECH Expanse) upgrade. Each project encompassed an unwavering focus upon our CGMH strategic directions: Patient Experience, Our People, Innovation and Partnerships. This year outstandingly, the hospital achieved a $1.96 M surplus. As a result, the hospital’s working capital deficit was reduced, although not eliminated, and the balance sheet and cash flow were strengthened. Our People demonstrated tremendous accountability as 93% of all CGMH employees completed the hospital’s biannual Employee Engagement Survey! This represents a strong CGMH culture of engagement. Survey results

As the proud President and CEO of Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, 2019-20 has truly demonstrated the deep commitment of employees, physicians, midwives, patient advisors and volunteers to the hospital’s “I CARE AT” values and vision of “Outstanding Care – For Life”.

CEO REPORTN O R A H H O L D E R

Norah Holder President and CEO, Aimee Stinson Nurse Manager and John Widdis Facilities Manager tour municipal partners at the Alternate Health Facility (AHF), which has been set up, should the hospital require extra capacity during COVID-19.


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demonstrated that 93% of employees strongly agreed to the statement “My Unit/Department provides top-quality patient care/services” demonstrating the well-known correlation between employee engagement and quality of patient care that is essential to each and every Patient Experience. Early in 2020, CGMH Accreditation Teams received self-assessment results and were ready to commence next steps. The Capital Branch of the Ministry of Health had communicated the Hospital’s Stage One submission was complete and discussions were underway with the Ministry regarding potential next steps. A Meditech Expanse electronic health record upgrade was officially launched in Partnership with three hospitals to improve upon the safety and quality of patient care via an integrated, seamless health information system so as to achieve ‘one patient - one record’. An Innovative SGB OHT full day community session provided an opportunity to engage and co-create a novel integrated future. As co-lead of the SGB OHT, CGMH contributed to a collaborative OHT progress report that was submitted to the Ministry of Health.And then, COVID-19 arrived, a world-wide pandemic of significant impact. As the hospital’s focus rapidly changed and major projects paused, the commitment

and attention of CGMH employees, physicians, midwives and the Board of Trustees expanded exponentially to ensure the hospital’s vision, mission, values and strategic directions guided every step, decision and action required in relation to COVID-19. The depth, breadth, impact and scope of COVID-19 have been extensive and at times were all encompassing. I am immensely proud of the stellar caring, teamwork, accountability, drive for excellence and adaptability of Our People during a time of tremendous complexity and change. The resilience of our CGMH Team and their commitment to serving the South Georgian Bay Community during COVID-19 is exceptionally inspirational and deeply appreciated. In closing, I would like to thank our Board of Trustees, Senior Leadership Team, employees, physicians, midwives, patient advisors and volunteers for demonstrating each and every day that at CGMH, we are truly anchored by our vision, mission and values and guided by our strategic directions.

CEO REPORTN O R A H H O L D E R


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More health care system change is currently underway, as Ontario undertakes a significant restructuring. Ontario Health was created in 2019 to create an integrated public health care system that will coordinate the work of existing provincial health agencies and programs. It has transitioned the Local

Behind the acute care hospital that we all know and love is a complex organization. Hospitals in Ontario are corporations subject to the provisions of the Public Hospitals Act and are a separate entity from the Hospital Foundation. They are governed and managed by a Board of Trustees or Directors, and are inclusive of independent volunteer Board members and hospital leadership. The Board supervises the Chief Executive Officer and Chief of Staff, and exercises diligent oversight on the hospital’s operations and is accountable to multiple stakeholders. This is accomplished with an effective governance/management relationship, skills-based public Board members and best practice governance processes and structures. The hospital forms one part of a complicated and ever-changing Ontario health care system.

BOARD CHAIR REPORTK E V I N C A M P B E L L

Board Chair Kevin Campbell at 2019 I CARE At Awards Ceremony with physicians Dr. Matte, Dr. Bolton, Respiratory Therapist Jessica Metheral and Dr. Guscott who were award for their teamwork on the Simulation Program.


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Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and established Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) to better organize and deliver care that is more connected to patients in their local communities. The innovative attitude that exists at CGMH has embraced change and we are on the path to establishing an OHT for the south Georgian Bay region. This is a tremendous opportunity to design our own health care “system” tailored to the needs of our community.To help respond to the changing world of health care, the Board completed an overhaul of its committee structure over the last two years, adopting best practices that bring increased focus and oversight, and are aligned with the hospital’s strategic objectives of Patient Experience, Innovation, Partnerships and Our People.Of course, everything that was accomplished at the hospital during most of the past year – and it was a lot – has been overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board suspended all non-essential projects in March to allow hospital employees to focus on preparing for COVID-19. At this moment in time, we have been very fortunate to have a well-prepared hospital and employees, and very few COVID-19 cases. The hospital and the Alternate Health Facility are at the ready, should

a second wave occur later in the summer or the fall. I cannot express enough, the depth of gratitude we owe to our health care workers. You are true heroes!COVID-19 has also caused most activity to be paused regarding hospital redevelopment. We have maintained a very positive working relationship with the Ministry of Health and were hopeful for a positive announcement prior to the pandemic taking hold in Ontario, but we will now wait and see what the government’s priorities are when some normalcy returns.In this my 10th year serving on volunteer health care Boards in Ontario, it has been a privilege to be Board Chair at CGMH for the past two years. I would like to thank all employees, physicians, volunteers and the community at large for being so passionate about and dedicated to our hospital. Finally, I have been incredibly fortunate to work beside such a talented and committed group of Trustees. Thank you all.

BOARD CHAIR REPORTK E V I N C A M P B E L L

2019/20 BOARD OF TRUSTEESKevin Campbell, ChairLesley Paul, Vice ChairDavid JohnstonCleo NoxonLil RourkeGeoff DaviesDiana VangelistiNorah Holder, President and CEODr. Michael Lisi, Chief of StaffLauren Tindall, VP Patient Experience & CNEDr. Gregg Bolton, President Medical Staff AssociationDr. Jeffrey Matte, VP Medical Staff Association


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CHIEF OF STAFF REPORTD R . M I C H A E L L I S I

The CGMH response to COVID-19 was swift, thoughtful and effective. Safety of the team and patients was our first concern. Physicians worked tirelessly developing education platforms, strategizing, and operationally performing the tasks required to combat the virus. We reached out into the community to support local nursing homes, educate the public, and help establish offsite facilities in preparation for the volume of patients.Our family physicians and hospitalists are instrumental in the function of our daily hospital operations. This group works diligently to ensure ongoing coverage and support for our patients and community. We are fortunate to have a strong family practice link between the community and the hospital. These strong connections are being leveraged as we work towards a robust Ontario Health Team. In addition, the Emergency department adapted skillfully to the COVID-19 circumstance. With

The start of a new decade brought in significant change. In my 6th year as Chief of Staff at CGMH, I was once again witness to the dedication and engagement of our professional staff. COVID-19 captured the headlines and reshaped health care practices globally. I am proud of how our team stepped up to the plate to respond to this pandemic.

Chief of Staff, Dr. Michael Lisi, speaks with CTV Barrie on a weekly basis to keep the community up-to-date on the most recent COVID-19 information.


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CHIEF OF STAFF REPORTD R . M I C H A E L L I S I

limitations of space, the CGMH Emergency team successfully triaged and cared for patients in a fashion which protected all from the risks of the virus.The spirit of education is strong at CGMH. In collaboration with the Rural Ontario Medical Program, CGMH has the most teaching hours per preceptor in the region, many of our credentialed staff have affiliations at teaching universities, and CGMH has built a strong brand as a destination to learn medicine. The simulation program has been instrumental in providing critical care training, neonatal education, and more to help train and update skills. Our Navigator program has been successful at obtaining several research grants, publications in peer reviewed journals, and presentations at national and international conferences. This year’s annual Research, Education, and Innovation day featured COVID educators from across the globe, and was recognized and touted as a featured annual event by community partners. In addition, CGMH’s work on Opioid reduction was recognized provincially in the annual Ontario Health Quality Report. CGMH physicians are leaders at regional, national, and international committees. We are helping advance the new MEDITECH expanse project. We are advancing inclusivity awareness to ensure that all

can feel safe within our walls. We are working towards environmental sustainability by reducing the footprint that hospitals leave. We are innovating through our iTEAM collaborations and accelerator project work. We are looking after physician wellbeing with featured workshops to prevent physician burnout.It truly is Our People that set us above the rest. Congratulations to Dr. Gandhi who completed his tenure as President of the Ontario Medical Association and to Dr. Jennifer Young as the President of the Ontario College of Family Physicians. As new physicians are brought on board, we see the retirements of longstanding family practitioner Dr. Rowlinson (40 years), and internist Dr. MacFarlane (30 years). The influence of those that have dedicated so much, serves as examples to those physicians just beginning. It is the culture of respect, collaboration, support, teamwork, patient centered care, community, and excellence at CGMH, which is the strongest of all.I am humbled to work alongside the dedication, engagement and caring of our CGMH physicians.


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4 PILL ARS

C A R E 4

In the early part of the 2019 fiscal year, Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, in partnership with Georgian Bay General Hospital, Headwaters Health Care Centre and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre embarked on an exciting project that will enhance safety, quality and the patient and clinician experience. Jointly, the four hospitals are upgrading their Health Information System to MEDITECH’s latest version, called Expanse. “We’ve been using MEDITECH for many years, but this major upgrade will take our partnership to a new level and ensure a more seamless integration of information between our hospitals and physicians, better functionality, secure and easy access with a more user-friendly interface,” says Norah Holder, CGMH President and CEO.Whether you are a hospital inpatient, cared for at one of our clinics, get an X-ray, undergo surgery, or come to the Emergency department all of your information will be added to a secure, accurate electronic file that allows physicians and hospital employees’ immediate access to important information about your care. This is especially

important to patients who receive care at CGMH and then have to travel to a partner hospital for regional care.By improving technology and providing real-time access to vital patient information, we will reduce the duplication of tests and patients won’t have to keep repeating their medical history with every new clinical interaction. Eventually, patients will have direct access to their own medical information, including test results, medication history and scheduled appointments. This technology will empower patients and enable them to be partners in their own care.As the provincial government continues to transform the healthcare system and introduce Ontario Health Teams, connectivity amongst healthcare partners will be a key element of the strategy to create an integrated, seamless system of care.The initiative will allow hospitals to accelerate their innovative digital strategy, while helping deliver on their promise of exceptional patient care.While COVID-19 has delayed the project and timelines for launch, we are moving forward with a spring 2021 implementation time frame.Watch our CARE4 video launch here.

4 Regional Hospitals unite to upgrade their Health Information System.

INNOVATIONPARTNERSHIPS OUR PEOPLEPATIENT EXPERIENCE


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http://care-4.ca

4 PILL ARSH O S P I TA L R E D E V E L O P M E N T

While there has not been a lot of public facing news about redevelopment over the 2019/20 fiscal year, the wheels have continued to turn in the background. CGMH submitted a refreshed Stage 1 submission to the Health Capital Investment Branch (HCIB) on April 26, 2019, providing updated volume and space projections based upon current and available planning information. Overall, volumes and related space requirements have not changed significantly from the original 2016 submission, with planning assumptions aligning with those of the Health Capital Investment Branch (HCIB). Deputations were provided to all municipal councils in June/July 2019 to provide them with updated information on the refreshed submission. All were very supportive of the hospitals continued advocacy to date and positive working relationship with the Capital Branch of the Ministry of Health. The hospital really appreciates the tremendous support of our entire South Georgian Bay community and all municipal partners.In November 2019, MPP Jim Wilson engaged in an encouraging discussion with the Minister of Health in the Legislature, keeping CGMH at the forefront.

As we moved into 2020, discussions with MPP Jim Wilson and the Capital Branch continued in regards to the progress of CGMH’s redevelopment project. During a teleconference with the Capital Branch of the Ministry of Health in early spring 2020, it was acknowledged our Stage 1 is considered complete and the final approval for Stage 1 will occur once formal vetting and signature processes are completed. We continue to wait for Stage 1 approval, before moving to Stage 2, but are optimistic and appreciative of the process today date, and believe more positive news will follow in 2020. During this time of healthcare transformation, our redevelopment project provides a remarkable opportunity for the hospital and valued partners to move forward together in novel ways. Through it all, our hospital continues to find many innovative ways to provide high quality care in unique ways, in space that’s in dire need of redevelopment. This has been evident and put into practice throughout COVID-19, as the hospital has found many innovative ways to achieve this. Stay up-to-date on Redevelopment news here.

We continue to plan for a new hospital for the South Georgian Bay community.

INNOVATIONPARTNERSHIPS OUR PEOPLEPATIENT EXPERIENCE


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https://cgmh.on.ca/redevelopment

4 PILL ARS

O N TA R I O H E A LT H T E A M S

Collingwood General and Marine Hospital is a member of the South Georgian Bay Ontario Health Team (SGB OHT) planning table. The SGB OHT is comprised of eight publically funded health service providers, inclusive of CGMH, Community Connection, Georgian Bay Family Health Team, Hospice Georgian Triangle, Breaking Down Barriers, Canadian Mental Health Association, South Georgian Bay Community Health Centre and Home and Community Care.OHTs are intended to provide new ways of organizing and delivering services in local communities. Through this model, groups of health care providers will work together as a team to deliver a full and coordinated continuum of care for patients, even if they’re not in the same organization or physical location. The SGB OHT submitted a Progress report to the Ministry of Health (MOH) in January 2020. The Progress report followed a robust engagement session with patients, families, hospital employees and physicians, Board members, community members and health

Eight partner organizations are working together to make it easier for patients to navigate the local healthcare system and strengthen local services.

partners in December 2019. At the forum, the group was able to confirm a first year patient population of focus for the SGB OHT. The SGB OHT is currently awaiting feedback from the MOH to move forward with the completion of a full application to become an official Ontario Health Team.At this time, the local SGB OHT continues to meet on a regular basis with a focus upon shared initiatives promoting the health and wellness of our community. A collaborative initiative focused upon enhanced mental health and social determinants of health in relation to COVID-19, is also underway.

INNOVATIONPARTNERSHIPS

OUR PEOPLEPATIENT EXPERIENCE


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4 PILL ARSP R E PA R I N G F O R A C C R E D I TAT I O N

Every four years, Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) engages in the Accreditation process with Accreditation Canada, where every program, process and department is inspected to ensure the hospital is consistently incorporating high-quality care measures.Accreditation Canada evaluates hospitals by comparing their performance against national standards of excellence, examining all aspects of health care delivery. The on-site survey allows surveyors to interact with employees, physicians, all levels of leadership and governance, volunteers, community partners, patients and caregivers to provide a fulsome assessment reflective of the hospitals commitment to quality care.The hospital is currently preparing for a spring 2021 site survey, with CGMH teams working toward the goal of replicating the hospital’s 2017 success of Accredited with Exemplary Standing, a decision awarded by Accreditation Canada to organizations which have achieved 95% or more of the high priority and other criteria in each grouping, and have met all Required Organizational Practice tests for compliance during the on-site survey.

Quality improvement initiatives and opportunities are continuous throughout the four years, as employees and physicians are always looking for innovative ways to improve process and care, in the most efficient way. This is further supported by two employee surveys, the Employee Engagement survey and the Canadian Patient Safety Culture survey, with follow up actions put in place for the results. With COVID-19 still at the forefront for hospitals across Canada, the process will be a little different in the future, in order to adhere to the COVID-19 reality. Moving forward, site assessment will involve remote teams of experts, combined with on-site surveyors. This mixed model will offer support to organizations on their journey towards continuous quality improvement.

Accreditation helps inspire positive change through quality and safety standards that help save and improve lives.

INNOVATIONPARTNERSHIPSOUR PEOPLE

PATIENT EXPERIENCE


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VOLUNTEERINGI S A T T H E H E A R T O F C G M H

Their warm and welcoming manner help set patients at ease when they come in during troubling times, help calm family members as they assist them with hospital wayfinding, and provide reassurance as they help porter patients – moving them from one area of the hospital to another. They are our right arm; shoulder to lean on - the heart of our organization.At CGMH, volunteers can be found throughout almost every area of the hospital, including the Emergency department (ED) waiting room and inside the ED during evenings, at the Information Desk and running the Gift Shop, in Ambulatory Care, Clinics and Dialysis. They help patients and staff on the Inpatient Units and Surgical Day Care, provide Friendly Visiting services, and aid patients with Meal Assistance. They lead Patients in Motion (a walking program for patients) and help with office support, telephone appointment reminders and provide services such as Patient Ambassadors and Pet Therapy. In many busy areas of the hospital that

experience patient flow seven days per week, volunteers are eagerly staffed to assist seven days per week too. “At CGMH our volunteers are like family. They thoroughly enjoy coming in for their shifts and are an extremely reliable and dependable group,” says Sadie Nixon, Volunteer manager at CGMH. “In my 22 years at CGMH, we have had a high volume of community members wanting to donate their time to our hospital and have maintained continued recruitment success. I

Volunteers play an integral role at CGMH each and every day. They help our patients and families, our employees and physicians, and are the first smile you see as you walk through the door.

Volunteers with employees and physicians in the Diagnostic Imaging and OR area.


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VOLUNTEERINGI S A T T H E H E A R T O F C G M H

feel so very fortunate to work with this wonderful group, each and every day.” Throughout 2019 – 2020 CGMH was very fortunate to maintain a roster of over 420 volunteers strong throughout the year. For a medium size hospital that is almost a one to one ratio compared to our employees. Over the past year, the hospital has continuously invested in Our People, as part of our Strategic Directions, and extended diversity training to our entire volunteer group. Our volunteers are an extremely diverse and innovative group, with a few members of the gift shop brainstorming on how to help increase sales – all money that goes back into the hospital’s budget. A group of volunteers worked collaboratively to launch an Instagram account to market the gift shops inventory and special offer promotions, all contributing to the revenue success of $56,000 in 2019/20. As 2020 entered the era of COVID-19, hospitals across the province sent their volunteers home to stay safe, yet, we didn’t say, “goodbye”. Instead we offered, “until we meet again,” and we all look forward to the day we can welcome our volunteers back with open arms, as they are so deeply valued and appreciated. Volunteers contribute to the success of

our gift shop, provide direction at the front entrance and help on the Units directly.


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https://www.instagram.com/shopcgmhgiftshop/

https://www.instagram.com/shopcgmhgiftshop/

CGMH

In the days and weeks that followed the WHO announcement, a whirlwind of activity occurred as the hospital worked quickly and efficiently to roll out the many directives from the Ministry of Health that were put in place to provide hospitals with capacity to deal with a potential surge in COVID-19 positive patients. Volunteers were sent home and visitor restrictions were introduced in an effort to protect the public, patients and employees. Non-urgent and elective/scheduled care and procedures, along with ambulatory and mental health clinics, were ramped down. Many CGMH team members worked tirelessly to set up the COVID-19 Assessment Centre, which later moved to the Erie Street Medical Centre, as a drive through testing site. Screening was introduced for

As January 2020 rolled in and the first reports of COVID-19 started circulating out of China, hospitals across Canada started meeting and planning early, knowing it was just a matter of time before COVID-19 arrived on its doorstep. The preparations were already well underway when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

C O V I D - 1 9


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patients and employees, and the hospital’s physical space changed, as patients were flowed through different hallways depending on their potential exposure levels. The Emergency department changed its space and flow, rippling out of the area and down the hall into Ambulatory Care, in order to safely provide the appropriate physical distancing space for all individuals coming into the hospital. Throughout it all, the hospital’s Emergency department, staffed by an amazing team of nurses, clerks, physicians and support services such as DI, pharmacy, lab, RT, Environmental Services and more, stayed open to care for the many non COVID-19 related illnesses and conditions that our community still required care for. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was a challenge in the early days for all hospitals, as supply into the country and the flow through to the hospitals, did not keep up with the demand. Our community stepped up to the plate, and through our CGMH Foundation, donated much of what the hospital was looking for. Positive cases arrived, yet CGMH employees and physicians were prepared to care for everyone in a safe and compassionate manner, while everyone, inclusive of Patient, Family and Caregiver Advisory Committee members continued to problem solve and find innovative ways to do things.

CGMHC O V I D - 1 9


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“Our priority was always to provide excellent medical care to our community, while limiting the risk to our employees and physicians,” says Norah Holder, CGMH President & CEO. “We are so grateful to the CGMH Team and our community partners for their dedication and vigilance.”The hospital’s physical space continued to change as April turned into May, as a 74-bed hospital, with a 5 bed ICU worked to find opportunities to provide appropriate ventilation for two additional rooms. Our Facilities Team worked quickly and installed air scrubbers, allowing these two additional rooms to quickly be used for proper ICU purposes, if required.With no visitors allowed in the hospital, virtual visits were introduced through Zoom to help provide some comfort. They quickly became a popular resource to keep patients, friends and family connected.As CGMH is an old building in much need of redevelopment, the team knew early on that an off-site location needed to be investigated. Therefore throughout April to June, CGMH worked on establishing an Alternate Health Facility (AHF) at the Collingwood Legion to care for patients who have COVID-19, as part of a pandemic response plan, in the event of a surge in the volume of patients presenting to the hospital, which might outstrip its internal capacity to provide care for inpatients.

CGMHC O V I D - 1 9


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The AHF will accept CGMH inpatient admissions. The purpose of the AHF is to provide care as the patient awaits transition to home, long-term care, retirement home or a rehabilitation unit, or to support end of life care or provide supportive care.To run the daily operations of the facility, and in order to best utilize resources and provide optimal patient care, the staffing model for the Alternate Health Facility includes a patient care team of physicians, RN’s, RPN’s, and PSW’s. The Personal Support Worker (PSW) is a new role for CGMH, which will be utilized on a temporary basis to assist during the pandemic. No PSW’s were recruited from local system partners during the hiring process.The establishment of the AHF is also part of a long term strategy that if not required for use with the current COVID-19 situation, will prepare the hospital and the Town of Collingwood for similar situations/challenges in the future. The AHF will add capacity for the whole community; as we prepare for the worst and hope for the best.The spring of 2020 was a unique time like no other, filled with challenges and opportunities, yet what quickly became evident was how strong the hospital’s I CARE AT values were. Our team exemplified them on a daily basis. It was and continues to be, teamwork at its finest.

CGMHC O V I D - 1 9


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MEAL TIME CHOICEF O R P A T I E N T S I S N O W A R E A L I T Y W I T H T H E L A U N C H O F F R E S H F L E X

CGMH launched the Freshflex initiative in early 2020 in partnership with Aramark, the company who oversees the hospital’s dietary and environmental service areas (EVS).“As the first medium-size hospital in Ontario to implement the Freshflex initiative we are thrilled to provide nutritious meals to patients, prepared fresh on-site, thereby further enhancing the patient experience,” says Norah Holder, CGMH President and CEO. “Ultimately, if patients are eating healthy foods and getting the rest they require, this all contributes to the healing process.”The hospital and Aramark worked collaboratively on menu enhancements that now meet more than 20 therapeutic diets, providing patients with the nourishment they require, depending on their condition. Additionally, new computer software was launched that syncs with the patient’s medical record to capture any noted dietary

requests or restrictions. This ensures that only suitable selections for the patient’s diet are presented, as part of the meal selection.Alex Murphy spent some time as a patient at CGMH this winter and was placed on a heart healthy diet, “I was told this was a new food service, so thought it even more important to relate how I was pleasantly surprised by the portions, flavour and especially the fact that the meals were still hot when received,” says Alex Murphy. It made the stay much more pleasant.

Patient meal time has changed at the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) and all for the better. Patients now have more choice, as they select from a variety of nutritious, prepared fresh meals, cooked in-house by a Red Seal certified chef, who is part of the hospital’s Food Services department.

As part of the Freshflex initiative, the hospital hired a Red Seal Chef to prepare meals for all hospital inpatients.


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The hospital implemented a one week cycle menu where patients choose from a variety of selections offered each meal. The meal selection follows Canada’s updated food guide, which has recommendations around increasing omega 3 fats, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats where possible. “Throughout 2019, the team at CGMH diligently prepared for the implementation of Freshflex, with the support of Aramark Corporate and with valuable input from the hospital’s Patient, Family and Caregiver Advisory Committee. Preparations also included renovations and improvements to the Food Services department,” says Natasha Mooney, manager, Food Services, Clinical Nutrition and EVS. Dietary employees were meeting with patients daily to provide choices for the following day’s meals for the first few months of the implementation, as their goal was to provide exceptional customer service and their aim was to be a highlight in the patient’s day,” says Mooney, “and then COVID-19 hit.” At present, the ordering process has been refined and the personal interaction for orders has been put on hold, but patients are still provided with the same fresh food each day.“We can see the program is a success based on the limited food waste that is returned on the trays after

each meal,” says Mooney. “I love hearing positive feedback from patients and staff, and seeing the patients smile.” We look forward to the day we can move forward with in-person ordering and patient interaction again.This project, along with so many others at CGMH, was made possible in part through community donations.

Prior to COVID-19, Dietary employees worked directly with patients on daily meal selections, adhering to dietary restrictions and allergies.

MEAL TIME CHOICEF O R P A T I E N T S I S N O W A R E A L I T Y W I T H T H E L A U N C H O F F R E S H F L E X


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©2020 Coll ingwood General & Marine Hospital

CO L L IN GWO O D G ENER A L A ND M A RINE H OSPI TA L

A NN UA L R E P O R T 2019/2020

We’re ‘always’ all in this together

collingwood general and marine hospital · cgmh is an acute care hospital providing emergency care,...

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