About WPSHC

The West Parry Sound Health Centre — helping you to ‘stay put’ in Canada’s rugged grandness.

Providing extraordinary support for health services in
cottage country.
On April 8, 2005 through the combined efforts of seasonal and year-round residents and all three levels of government, a new health centre opened in Georgian Bay cottage country.   Situated several hours away from the large centers, the 180-bed teaching facility is an innovative health care institution.
The Foundation’s challenge is to secure the funds to ensure the Health Centre stays current with technologies that best serves our fluctuating population that grows annually from 20,000 to 120,000 during the peak summer season. 

The Health Centre has a history of being a deficit-free business with exceptional accomplishments including:

Financial

• Balanced budgets and deficit-free operations for over two decades, while expanding operations, programs and patients served.
• The purchase of 30 acres of land which is owned outright and debt-free.  The revenues earned have more than recovered the initial investments.
• A new ambulance centre built and paid outright.
• Managing 6 community-based nursing stations with balanced budgets.
• Successfully winning the bid with the provincial government to provide long-term care in the community.

Management

• The undertaking of a voluntary amalgamation of two hospitals in Parry Sound before government restructuring.  Within two years, all services were amalgamated.
• Achieving ambitious goals and objectives set by a voluntary and community-based Board of Trustees, despite diminished government funding.
• Maintaining full accreditation status with the Canadian Council for Health Services Accreditation.

Programs

• With no increases to clinical staff and a 40% cut to management and administrative staff, achieving the following:
  o expanded clinical services;
  o expanded ultrasound services;
  o expanded mammography services;
  o a new sleep disorders clinic;
  o no cuts in-patient care, while maintaining up-to-date technology
• Maintaining full emergency coverage in a remote community with a duty doctor, back-up doctor, internist, anesthetist, surgeon and a family physician obstetrician on call.

Partnerships

• Working with area municipalities to provide 911 services.
• Improving child psychiatry services in the West Parry Sound area through a partnership with the Hospital for Sick Children, the University of Toronto and the Parry Sound Child and Family Services.
• Improving adult psychiatry services in the West Parry Sound area through a partnership with the University of Toronto and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and Community Mental Health Services.
• Providing local kidney dialysis in a partnership with the Sudbury Regional Hospital.
• Providing local chemotherapy in a partnership with the Northeastern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre in Sudbury.
• Affiliation with the University Health Network in Toronto (TGH, TWH and Princess Margaret Hospital), providing governance and fundraising expertise through Board appointments, and to review future collaboration.
• Collaboration with MediSolutions to supply information technology to provide integrated healthcare with all healthcare providers and primary care physicians throughout the community.