My Cottage, My Hospital

Caring for you and your family for generations…
By: Nicole Kraftscik, Executive Director, GBGH Foundation

When you think back to your summer memories at the cottage, you might remember the time the big snapping turtle laid eggs off the beach, the first time your child or grandchild jumped off the dock or drove the boat, the biggest fish story and the best campfire nights with friends.

If your Georgian Bay memories ever involved an accident, a run-in with a rattlesnake, or a health scare, you will certainly remember when Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) was there for your family.

GBGH has been providing exceptional care for our entire cottage community for more than 100 years.  Today, our hospital offers 24-hour emergency services supported by internal medicine, general surgery, ophthalmology, dentistry, obstetrics, and gynecology services.  Our hospital has a six-bed, Level 3 Basic ICU (designation is the second highest with the exception of specialty units), diagnostic imaging services including x-ray, ultrasound and CT, and is a member of the Ontario Telemedicine Network. GBGH also has strong partnerships and protocols in place with regional hospitals, ensuring that patients can receive specialized care quickly if required.

Our hospital is the primary health care centre for more than 56,000 permanent residents, and more than 100,000 seasonal residents; numbers that grows each year as more people discover the beauty of Georgian Bay and make the move to work, live and play in our community. We see the impact of this population growth on our hospital, with steadily increasing numbers of visits to the Emergency department and inpatient volumes that are consistently higher than 100% year after year. Despite increasing pressures, our compassionate, skilled clinicians and care teams continue to be here for every single person who comes through the hospital doors.

We want to continue being here to serve the families on the shores of Georgian Bay for generations to come.

Our vision of care in the future includes a large, modern health care facility in Midland, with a comprehensive acute mental health program integrated with our proficient Emergency department, diverse surgical services, expanded ICU and sufficient inpatient beds to meet the needs of our growing – and aging – community.

For more than a century, our permanent and seasonal communities have supported our hospital by funding equipment and technology, as well as education and capital redevelopment. Generous organizations and businesses have prioritized health care in their annual budgets to ensure the hospital is equipped to care for their members and employees.  Individuals have given their time, talents and resources to strengthen our health services and advocate for support from all levels of government.

As we embark on a journey to bring this new health care vision to reality, we will be asking our communities to continue their support as donors, volunteers and advocates.  It will take the collective efforts of our region’s families, businesses and associations to ensure a strong future for GBGH, so that our incredible care teams continue to serve our community for generations to follow.

We each have the unique opportunity to invest in health care today and leave a legacy for our children, our grandchildren and the generations to follow.  The GBGH Foundation works with our residents, cottagers and businesses to empower GBGH to deliver exceptional health care, today and in the future.

If you would like to learn more about your hospital away from home, we invite you to join us for a virtual tour.  You can get more information here or by calling our office at 705-526-GIVE (4483).