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Etobicoke General Hospital (EGH) was built in 1972 and opened with 400 staff, 350 beds, Canada’s first combined obstetrical/surgical suite and 10 Operating Rooms. In its first year of operation, the hospital saw just over 39,055 Emergency Room patients.
From 1975 through 1980, the hospital experienced significant increases in the volume of service in newborn patient days, Emergency, Day Surgery and a 282 per cent increase in Nuclear Medicine patient visits that resulted in additional expansions to the hospital.
The population of this northwest corner of Toronto is growing rapidly. EGH serves as the primary health care facility for local, national and international travelers who fly in and out of Pearson International Airport.
In April 2003, when the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care sent an urgent request to assist with the fight against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), William Osler Health Centre, through Etobicoke General Hospital, was ready to face the challenge.
Paul Cutler, a SARS patient at Etobicoke General Hospital, recently wrote, “While I never was able to see the faces of those who ministered to me, I shall always remember their eyes through the protective shield and masks. They were caring. I cannot express how much it means to me to know that they were willing to risk their health and lives to minister to me… I am alive because you cared.”
Today it has 1,100 staff members, 290 beds and 8 operating rooms. Staff typically care for some 50,000 outpatients, 15,000 inpatients and 64,000 emergency visits each year.
To provide the quality of care that the physicians, nurses and staff are known for, William Osler Health Centre is in the midst of crucial redevelopment planning that will focus on key areas within the facility. These initiatives have meant acquisition of Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology together with the necessary redesigns of the Diagnostic Imaging area that accommodate the MRI equipment considered to be today's standard of care. Clinical renovations have brought preliminary changes within the Intensive Care and Critical Care Units. Renewal of space and equipment will mean greater confidence in patient outcomes and better experiences for patients and their families during serious times. Within the Emergency Department, plans for new Sub-Acute and Paediatric areas are also underway.
Etobicoke General Hospital continues to benefit from the services of over 400 dedicated volunteers including a wide variety of co-operative education students.
Peel Memorial Hospital (PMH) was built on its present site in 1925 to serve a population of 10,000 with 37 beds. It grew over the years with the community, but demand exceeded capacity at PMH and health care services for this area finally received a long-awaited boost with the opening of Brampton Civic Hospital in October 2007.
This is not the end of the road for PMH, however. On September 19, 2008, William Osler Health Centre announced that it is proceeding with the re-development of the hospital site. The planning and design phase has started and construction is slated to begin in 2010. A new multi-purpose health centre is expected to be completed in 2012.
The site at 20 Lynch Street will remain closed until that time. When it opens, it will provide Brampton, Etobicoke and surrounding communities with urgent care, ambulatory care, and outpatient surgical procedures, with a focus on primary care and chronic disease prevention and management as well as inpatient complex continuing care and rehabilitation.
Brampton Civic Hospital (BCH) received its first patients on October 28, 2007. Opening with 366 beds, BCH will phase in more beds to meet our communities' growing needs. Increased services will accompany the addition of more beds until the facility reaches full capacity of 608 inpatient beds in 2011/12.
BCH operates within a design for maximum efficiency. This is achieved by creating a smooth work flow and situating programs adjacent to necessary supports such as elevators that can transport patients directly from emergency to surgery. It also incorporates modern medical equipment and computer systems such as digital diagnostic imaging machines, robotic arms, and negative pressure/isolation zones in a number of units.
Many features have been added to facilitate accessibility, add convenience, and make the hospital experience less stressful for patients and their families as well as staff. Some of these include barrrier-free movement between floors and departments, oversized elevators, a 7-level parking structure, large, well-designed patient rooms, ergonomic staff areas, courtyards, and a spacious atrium flooded with natural light to welcome people into the facility.
BCH has enhanced services in many areas such as critical care, a regional dialysis program, and child-friendly environments.