Cheryl Harrison, chief executive officer of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC), says they are “deeply committed to transparently transforming healthcare in Muskoka through meticulous planning and significant investment.”
“This commitment, rooted in sound data and research, extends beyond just maintaining services,” she continues in an April 26 update from MAHC. “We are enhancing and expanding, ensuring both hospital sites are equipped to offer superior care well into the future.”
Bobbie Clark, director of communications and stakeholder relations for MAHC, says the update was put out to help “dispel misinformation” that has been spread about the project that will see new hospitals built in Bracebridge and Huntsville. She explains that MAHC’s plan is mandated by Ontario’s Ministry of Health, data from the Ministry of Finance, and information – including on the area’s future growth – from Statistics Canada.
“By integrating comprehensive population data with real-time utilization feedback from our facilities, we are not guessing but planning with precision to meet and exceed the health demands of Muskoka’s growing population,” adds Harrison.
Since MAHC’s “Made-in-Muskoka healthcare system” proposal was announced in early 2024, one of the issues brought up by some South Muskoka residents was the thought that Bracebridge isn’t going to get a full-service hospital with what is being proposed by MAHC.
“It is crucial to clarify that neither hospital site will become ambulance transfer stations or be reduced to lesser facilities,” says Clark. “Both sites will continue to provide essential hospital services as they currently do, and any adjustments in services or structures are strategically aimed at enhancing care delivery and patient outcomes.”
However, Clark assures both sites will remain as full-service hospitals and “will also undergo significant enhancements in services due to the $1 billion investment from the province.” She says the proposal includes upgrades to the 24/7 emergency departments in Bracebridge and Huntsville and introduce specialized care units.
In early April, MAHC agreed to alter its plan to include more inpatient beds and childbirth services at the future South Muskoka Memorial Hospital after pushback from residents.
Clark says the reworked plan means both hospitals are “equipped to handle a wider range of healthcare needs locally” which she adds will “significantly” reduce the needed for transfers. “When transfers are necessary for specialized care unavailable locally, they are managed carefully to ensure patient safety and optimal outcomes,” finishes Clark.
“In our initial plan, bed numbers at both Bracebridge and Huntsville were strategically aligned with acute and alternative level of care needs, drawing from comprehensive demographic studies and population projections from the Ministry of Finance,” says Clark. “However, it’s essential to recognize that bed numbers alone are not a definitive measure of successful or adequate healthcare. Our plan encompasses a holistic regional health system approach, incorporating community-based care models and specialized services, ensuring that the proposed bed numbers will be more than sufficient.”
Harrison said in March 2024, MAHC plans to submit its proposed model to the Ministry of Health by the end of this year with construction slated to start in 2029.
The redevelopment project is being done in four phases. Currently, it’s in the last part of the first phase.
Before then, Clark says there will be more engagement sessions scheduled in the summer which will include internal staff, physicians, community groups, and the broader public.