By Selma Al-Samarrai

The General Internal Medicine (GIM) unit at St. Michael’s Hospital moved this week into its brand new space inside the Peter Gilgan Patient Care Tower (PGT). Its new location on the 14th floor of the PGT will transform the care experience for patients and staff in two big ways: it will offer enhanced health care design and technology, and it will consolidate General Internal Medicine and the Acute Care for the Elderly Unit into one joint unit across 14 PGT and the adjacent wing, 14 Cardinal Carter.

“The expansion into the new space in the tower will provide our patients with the skilled internal medicine care they need when they are at the most acute stage of their stay. Having all of our beds on one unit will increase efficiencies for our residents, physicians and health disciplines staff,” said Kim Grootsveld, Clinical Leader Manager.

“It will also allow our patients in the Acute Care of the Elderly Unit to be in an area that has more accessible rooms which we will be able to convert into a more senior-friendly environment.”

The PGT’s inpatient units were specifically designed to care for critically ill patients in individual, private rooms. The new GIM space inside the PGT offers numerous features designed for a comfortable stay for patients and an efficient work flow for staff.

The new unit features enhanced technology to increase safety such as sensors for lighting, technology to increase patients’ digital connectivity with loved ones, and central bedside monitoring which allows constant monitoring of all patients on the floor from one centralized space in the nursing station.

The large and individual patient rooms, which offer private bathrooms, also offer enough space for patient therapy sessions to take place inside them. This feature reduces the need to navigate patients around the unit. Other unit features include large windows in patient rooms, pull-out beds in every room to allow families to stay, and more patient-centered technology and design.

“We are very excited to have our patients all on one unit cared for by our teams. Currently we need to juggle rooms multiple times a day to accommodate our patients who are either admitted in the Emergency Department or coming out of the Intensive Care Unit. The additional private rooms and additional beds will decrease the number of transfers and make our overall care more efficient,” said Grootsveld.

The General Internal Medicine Unit is now the third unit to move into its intended final space in the Peter Gilgan Patient Care Tower, following the Orthopaedic Inpatient Unit and the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit’s recent moves. Other PGT floors were opened to create capacity for the critical and acute care of COVID-19 patients earlier in the pandemic.

The tower’s lobby and entrance remains closed until further notice, and entry into the open PGT units will be limited to horizontal access from the adjacent hospital wing.

The Peter Gilgan Patient Care Tower is part of the larger St. Michael’s 3.0 redevelopment project. The tower was made possible by Peter Gilgan, the founder and CEO of Mattamy Homes, who made a historic $30 million donation to St. Michael’s, and by Element Fleet Management, who contributed an additional $15 million. A massive thank you to Peter Gilgan, Element Fleet Management, and the many other donors whose generous contributions made the Peter Gilgan Patient Care Tower a reality for Unity Health Toronto’s staff and patients.

About St. Michael’s Hospital

St. Michael’s Hospital provides compassionate care to all who enter its doors. The hospital also provides outstanding medical education to future health care professionals in more than 27 academic disciplines. Critical care and trauma, heart disease, neurosurgery, diabetes, cancer care, care of the homeless and global health are among the Hospital’s recognized areas of expertise. Through the Keenan Research Centre and the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre, which make up the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, research and education at St. Michael’s Hospital are recognized and make an impact around the world. Founded in 1892, the hospital is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto.

About Unity Health Toronto

Unity Health Toronto, comprised of Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph’s Health Centre and St. Michael’s Hospital, works to advance the health of everyone in our urban communities and beyond. Our health network serves patients, residents and clients across the full spectrum of care, spanning primary care, secondary community care, tertiary and quaternary care services to post-acute through rehabilitation, palliative care and long-term care, while investing in world-class research and education. For more information, visit www.unityhealth.to.