When Gail Hunt took charge of Georgian Bay General Hospital on Sept. 11, 2017, no would could have foreseen the rough times that lay ahead.
But the GBGH CEO and president says she’s proud of how the hospital has adapted and managed through the global health crises known as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just over 12 months since it all began, Hunt reflected on a year like no other with MidlandToday.
How do you feel the hospital has managed during the pandemic?
I’m very proud of the GBGH team. I cannot say enough about their resilience and dedication to exceptional care over the past year.
They’ve had to keep on providing quality care every day under extreme adversity and we appreciate their efforts.
How steep a learning curve has there been?
One of the most challenging parts of the pandemic, particularly in the first months, was staying on top of constantly changing information to make sure we were doing all we could to ensure the safety of patients and our team.
Information was changing daily, if not several times within a day, so it was somewhat frantic staying on top of it all.
Editor's note: The hospital also dealt with an outbreak that began on Dec. 4 in its 2 North inpatient ward. Subsequently, 32 inpatient, 32 staff and two visitor cases were recorded; eight patients died. The outbreak was declared over Jan. 12.
Are you satisfied with the way the hospital handled the outbreak?
We were managing quite well over the summer and well into the fall, so it was a really sobering moment for us when the COVID-19 outbreak was declared in December.
Not only did it strap our already limited human resources, it was crushing to team morale.
We were adhering to safety measures, following protocols and it still happened, which was very unsettling and disheartening for our team.
Managing an outbreak is really a time of ‘all hands on deck’ and it proved to be probably our most challenging and exhausting weeks for the entire organization.
Our condolences will always go out to the patients, staff and family members impacted by the outbreak.
Besides the outbreak, what have been some of the biggest challenges?
One of the most challenging parts of the pandemic, particularly in the first months, was staying on top of constantly changing information to make sure we were doing all we could to ensure the safety of patients and our team. Once more was known, I think our team settled into a new routine over the summer and fall, accepting that the pandemic was going to be our new normal.
How do you feel staff has managed during this uncertain time?
Healthcare professionals are well-equipped to deal with uncertainty, adjust to change and tend to handle crisis very well, but that uncertainty and those crises don’t usually last an entire year and beyond.
There have certainly been highs and lows to our year.
I know our team has been very proud of the assistance we’ve provided other organizations and healthcare partners such as assistance with mobile swabbing, and education about PPE and infection prevention and control.
One of the highlights of the past year was when we celebrated the discharge of one of our first COVID patients – a 93 year old who recovered and returned home healthy.
This has required endurance unlike anything we’ve dealt with after a year, I can honestly say our team is tired and wants nothing more than for this to be over.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I’d like to acknowledge and thank our community for their unwavering commitment to stand by their hospital even in the toughest times.
Through donations of PPE, to meals and kind-hearted messages of support, they have always kept us in their thoughts and continue to do so.
