The South Muskoka Hospital Foundation Looks Forward to the Future

After the long, cold days of winter, spring and summer tend to bring with them promise and optimism, and that feeling may be especially poignant this year as pandemic-related restrictions fall away in so many areas of life.

At South Muskoka Memorial Hospital, the pandemic is not yet a thing of the past, however. COVID protocols continue to be in place in health care settings, and unavoidable staff absences due to either positive COVID tests or close contacts with positive cases mean that those able to work are still shouldered with longer hours, more shifts, and added responsibilities.

Nevertheless, the momentum is forward-moving. The team of skilled health care providers, executive management, and support staff are working hard every day to not only provide the highest standard in health care to the Muskoka community, but also to broaden the scope of services available at the hospital and to expand training and fields of expertise.

Thanks to generous donations from the community, SMMH is now immensely proud to have an endoscopic ultrasound machine. Fewer than 20 hospitals in Ontario are able to provide endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) services, which can help identify signs of and even treat gastrointestinal and lung disease through a low-risk, minimally invasive procedure. Administered by SMMH surgeon Dr. Rohit Gupta, the EUS program serves the residents of Muskoka and nearby communities. Prior to acquiring this equipment, patients requiring EUS were required to travel to other centres, usually in the GTA, for the procedure. 

Keeping Muskokans close to home for their health care whenever possible is a priority of hospital staff and the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation. Not only does this return better health results for patients in terms of reduced delays in emergency procedures, it benefits their mental and emotional wellness to remain in their community, near friends and family. To that end, SMMH skilled teams are continuously conducting mock scenarios to ready themselves for less routine medical events that may occur. These drills are vitally important in preparing for unpredictable occurrences. 

Recently, the team has been conducting such scenarios to familiarize itself with a new procedure for screening patients who present at SMMH with possible symptoms of stroke. As the stroke-related saying “Time is brain,” reflects, prompt treatment is critically important where these patients are concerned. SMMH has launched a protocol to ensure that patients who are exhibiting possible signs of stroke can be screened on-site and, where necessary, get swift access to endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) therapy at Toronto Stroke Network facilities in the GTA. For patients presenting early enough, EVT therapy extends the window of time for treatment of stroke to 24 hours from symptom onset. Previously, patients exhibiting stroke symptoms at SMMH would have been transferred to Huntsville for assessment first. 

This summer, SMMH is pleased to welcome Dr.Luke Wu to the medical team. A specialist in internal medicine, Dr.Wu’s arrival signals further widening of the circle of high-quality health care services provided locally for the Muskoka community.

Supporting your hospital is an investment in people, in your future, and in life. It’s a way to make an impact in your community, today and tomorrow.

The South Muskoka Hospital Foundation relies on the generosity of donors large and small to support these efforts toward continuous improvement. As Executive Director Leah Walker explains, “Taxpayer money alone cannot achieve what we’re trying to accomplish at SMMH. It takes the support of the community to enable the purchase of cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment equipment, the hiring of world-class medical practitioners, and the continuous education and training that keeps our team sharp, responsive, and knowledgeable.” 

It’s all part of the Foundation’s efforts to ensure that year-round and seasonal residents of Muskoka know that when the unexpected happens, as it will, they can expect the highest quality of health care right here where they live and play. Or, as Leah puts it, “It’s not our hospital, it’s your hospital. It’s everyone’s hospital.”

Meet some of the new faces of South Muskoka Hospital:

The summer of 2022 sees a new specialist join the team of doctors at SMMH. Internist Dr. Luke Wu sat down with hideaways to discuss his area of medical specialization, what has brought him to Bracebridge, and what he is looking forward to most.

You’re an internist. In lay terms, what does an internist do?

I get that question a lot! Essentially, internists are specialists who focus on patients with very complex diseases, often rare diseases, and also patients who have multiple comorbidities, or health issues, which can be tricky to manage all at once. The internist helps with diagnosis and treatment in these cases. If you’re familiar with the TV show House, you might recognize that Dr. House is an internist.

What brings you to Muskoka?

I actually grew up in Haliburton County, not far from Muskoka. In fact, we often competed here when I played high school sports. After high school I went to Ottawa for my undergraduate and masters degrees in biochemistry. I then moved up north to Temiskaming Shores and Iroquois Falls, where I took on a social work program. After that I did my medical training at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Sudbury, and my residency in Kingston. In my third year of medical school, I worked at the Bracebridge Assessment Centre, and I really enjoyed working with the medical team, and living in this community. When the opportunity came up to make that more permanent, I was excited.

What do you appreciate about being in Muskoka? What are you looking forward to?

I grew up in a rural setting not unlike Muskoka, so I learned to love the outdoors from a young age. In Muskoka, there are endless opportunities for boating and watersports, hiking, and cycling. Algonquin Park is practically in our backyard. From a wellness standpoint, it’s so important to have these opportunities to exercise, be outdoors, and enjoy the natural world when you’re not working.

From a work perspective, working in a smaller community is a really big draw for me. For one thing, it gives me more opportunity to engage in a variety of practices. For example, I will be getting trained in endoscopy by my mentor, Dr. Rohit Gupta. That will allow me to have a bit of a niche as an internist with some gastroenterology focus. In a large urban centre, there is usually one person who performs each specialization, so there’s less opportunity for everyone to become skilled outside their area of core focus.

Also, working in a smaller, rural setting, you might see your patients at the grocery store or when you go out to a restaurant, so there’s more of a personal connection there, which makes the job a lot more meaningful.

For similar reasons, my wife, Aneshka, is also really looking forward to our move to Bracebridge. When we first learned there may be an opportunity, she was gung ho. She was here with me during my medical training, and she just fell in love with the place. We both did.

By The Numbers

SMMH'S FIGURES TELL AN IMPORTANT STORY

Most recent patient satisfaction data collected by the Ontario Hospital Association’s Patient Satisfaction Survey indicates that overall rating of care in the Emergency Department is 55%, which exceeds the Ontario Community Hospital Average Score of 53.7% .

Overall rating of the inpatient acute care is 72.7% which exceeds the Ontario Community Hospital Average of 61.8%.

Grateful Every Day

Local Mother Receives Lifesaving Care–For Two–At SMMH

The hospital saved my life and the life of my baby...we will be forever grateful!

I was looking forward to having my second child at the South Muskoka Hospital, just as I’d had my first. Little did I know that I would almost lose my life, and his, even before my son was born.

Early in my pregnancy, I’d experienced stomach pain. When I was just 18 weeks pregnant, the discomfort increased. I knew there was something wrong. 

An ultrasound at South Muskoka Hospital showed a large mass in the area of my appendix. The doctor concluded I needed surgery right away. His concerns were validated when they opened me up and found a baseball-sized mass. The team suspected appendix mucinous adenocarcinoma, an extremely dangerous condition with a 75 percent fatality rate. Later tests confirmed they were right. 

This rare form of cancer spreads very easily. I’m so grateful the surgical team knew exactly what they had to do and had the skills and tools to perform this delicate surgery. They carefully removed the mass intact and also a third of my colon, as the tumour had started
to grow into it. 

The surgeon told me he was confident he had removed all of the cancerous cells. I was referred to an oncologist in Toronto, who recommended we terminate the pregnancy so that I could undergo chemotherapy. My husband and I were faced with an unbearable choice. 

I kept thinking back to the surgeon’s confidence that his team had removed all the cancer. We decided to take the risk and try to save our baby. A second oncologist suggested that we could delay chemo and monitor for cancer throughout the pregnancy. 

Quinn made his appearance at 38 weeks! I still can’t believe how my baby and I survived this ordeal, thanks to the skill and fast action of the hospital staff. 

My son and I are thriving and that’s all due to our community hospital. The surgical team needs to be supported by top-notch equipment to continue to save lives and respond to emergencies like mine.
It could be your loved one who arrives at the hospital with a life-threatening condition or injury.

Our donors are the reason we had the tools to save Jacqueline and baby Quinn.

Current Needs–Can You Help?

The South Muskoka Hospital Foundation relies on the generosity of donors to purchase new or replacement equipment. It is a common misconception that all hospital needs are covered by your tax dollars.

The South Muskoka Hospital Foundation encourages our community to invest in the highest standard of health care, including everything from lifesaving equipment to health care education and urgent renovations and repairs. This year, we’ll invest over $1.6 million in new equipment.

The Emergency Department at South Muskoka Memorial Hospital sees approximately 20,000 patients each year, averaging 55 people every day needing emergency care in our community. 

Sixty percent of those visits require some level of diagnostic testing or lab work. The Emergency Department is the cornerstone of our greatest needs, where we ensure the highest level of health care is available, today and tomorrow. 

Generosity from people like you is what ensures we can be there when we’re needed. If you are able to help, please contact Executive Director, Leah Walker, by phone or email at 705.645.4404 x3246 or [email protected] to discuss how you can support your hospital.