** GBHS - Tobermory Clinic **
The Clinic in Tobermory is undergoing a major transformation. In 2007, an application by the Tobermory/Lion’s Head physicians was approved by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to become the Family Health Team for the Peninsula. Since that time, the physicians have worked with GBHS and the Ministry of Health to transform the Clinic to this new approach to providing community care. The Peninsula Family Health Team now includes four physicians, a Nurse Practitioner, a social worker and several clinic nurses.
Existing services are continuing under the new Family Health Team including pulmonary function tests, laboratory testing, minor day surgery, exercise stress testing and mental health counseling. New services include enhanced management of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease as well as the introduction of an electronic medical record connected to the GBHS system to receive reports on their patients wherever the care is provided across the GBHS hospitals.
Family Health Team doctors will continue to see same day or urgent care patients in Tobermory but under the Family Health Team model the physicians cannot provide emergency care in that setting. The very limited role that the hospital played in supporting emergency care has shifted to Lion’s Head where the equipment, medications and staff are available to support patients in an emergency.
Planning is actively underway for the construction of new building on the site of the existing clinic. The GBHS Tobermory Auxiliary is leading the fundraising for the new building. The municipality of North Bruce Peninsula has agreed to be the owner of the new facility. The North Bruce Peninsula already owns the clinic in Lion’s Head. Grey Bruce Health Services continues to operate the Hyperbaric Chamber which is located on the Clinic property.
