General News

Outbreak status has been declared in consultation with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit after four patients and one staff member on a medical inpatient unit at the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital (SMMH) Site tested positive for COVID-19.

The COVID-positive patients along with high-risk contact patients have been placed in isolation and only those patients at SMMH are not permitted to have visitors.

Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC), in consultation with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, has declared the COVID-19 outbreak on South Wing at Huntsville District Memorial Hospital (HDMH) Site over.

The outbreak lasted a total of 11 days, and through outbreak management protocols including testing, seven patient cases and one staff case were attributed to the outbreak in total.

Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare is pleased to introduce the first babies born in 2022, arriving on the same day at each of our hospital sites.

At the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital Site, baby Andy Couling was born at 5:13 a.m. on Saturday, January 8, 2022 to first-time parents Melissa Switzer and Matt Couling of Gravenhurst. Andy arrived at 8 pounds, 6 ounces.

As directed by the Ontario government, to preserve bed capacity and maintain safe staffing levels, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) is temporarily postponing elective/non-urgent surgeries and procedures, and some non-urgent, scheduled outpatient procedures and clinic appointments.

MAHC, like many other Ontario hospitals, is responding to an Ontario Health requirement from earlier this week to identify existing services that can safely be reduced, suspended or relocated in order to preserve core acute care functions during the pandemic.

Visiting to South Wing at the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital (HDMH) Site has been suspended following a COVID-19 outbreak.

Four patients on South Wing at the HDMH Site have tested positive for COVID-19 and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has placed South Wing under unit-specific COVID-19 outbreak status.

Following two confirmed staff cases of COVID-19, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) has placed a service department at the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital Site in outbreak status and impacted staff are in quarantine.

The outbreak specific to the Maintenance Department is fully contained, and the hospital itself is not in outbreak.  

After over a decade at Muskoka’s hospitals, I am writing my final blog as President & CEO at Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare before I retire on December 23, 2021.  Taking the pen this last time before it is turned to a new writer is bittersweet to say the least.

The Huntsville Hospital Foundation is pleased to support the continued education of current and future nurses through the Natalie Bubela Nursing Scholarship, in honour of Natalie Bubela who served as Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s President and CEO from January 2011 to December 2021.

This tribute recognizes Natalie’s strong support for the work of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation and acknowledges Natalie’s 46 years of dedication to the nursing profession, strong commitment to mentorship and coaching, and the value she places on the professional development of nurses.

With an abundance of caution to contain the spread of COVID-19 and keep patients and staff safe, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) is reducing visitation based on the increasing cases of COVID-19 throughout the region and the increasing concerns of the Omicron variant.

Effective Friday, December 17, 2021 admitted patients at MAHC may identify one Designated Care Partner who remains the same for the duration of their hospital stay to be an essential visitor. 

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Vickie Kaminski to the interim role of President and Chief Executive Officer at Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) effective December 24, 2021.

With the upcoming retirement of Natalie Bubela from the President & CEO role on December 23, the Board’s search committee quickly realized the need to appoint an interim leader while the recruitment process for a permanent President & CEO unfolded.