Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) is home to both the Provincial Prolonged-Ventilation Weaning Centre of Excellence (PWC) and the Long-Term Ventilation (LTV) Program within the hospital’s Complex Continuing Care Services.
MGH is working with the Ministry of Health and several other hospitals on a three-year pilot to improve the quality of life for patients who require ventilation. This Pilot will:
The pilot builds on the expertise of four hospitals that specialize in the support and care of people requiring long-term ventilation and those with complex respiratory needs. These hospitals will support specialized providers that exist within their geographies to form three hub and spoke structures.
More information about the hub and spoke model and participating specialized providers can be found below.
MGH's Provincial Prolonged-Ventilation Weaning Centre of Excellence (PWC) holds a mandate from the Ministry of Health as a Provincial Weaning Centre of Excellence.
For many years, MGH’s PWC and Long-term Ventilation Program beds have been part of an informal network in Ontario that actively seeks to improve the care of prolonged and long-term ventilation patients through our clinical research program, partnerships and advocacy at all levels of the healthcare system.
MGH’s PWC is a specialized program for adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients who have stabilized from their acute ICU illness, but remain on a mechanical ventilator for more than 14 days and wish to try to breathe on their own. We are an eight bed inpatient acute care program comprised of a medical, nursing and inter-professional team that specializes in the care of patients with prolonged ventilation and persistent/chronic critical illness.
Our inter-professional team includes respirologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, personal care workers, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, psychiatrist, inter-faith chaplains, bioethicist and volunteers.
RM&R application is now available.For more information about the PWC for patients and families and for healthcare providers, please see the buttons below.
PWC: Information for Patients and Families
PWC: Information for Healthcare Providers
MGH’s Long-Term Ventilation (LTV) Program is a part of the hospital’s Complex Care Unit located on the 5th floor.
This LTV program provides a stimulating environment that enhances quality of life for ventilator-dependent patients. An interdisciplinary team of care professionals work collaboratively to support the care of individuals admitted to this program who require mechanical ventilation for all or part of a 24-hour period.
As a part of the Ministry pilot, MGH is part of a hub and spoke model acting as one of two Central hubs.
A hub and spoke model works like a wheel with the hub being the central point – in this case a hospital leading the pilot project regionally, and the spokes, being the community hospitals delivering the services. This structure will enable patients who previously required ventilation support in a select hospital to safely transition to a hospital or an alternate care setting within their community.
Below is a list of hospitals currently linked to a hub site. Additional hospitals will be added as the strategy expands.
| Spokes: | Region: |
| Alexandra Hospital | West |
| Alexandra Marine and General Hospital | West |
| Cambridge Memorial Hospital | West |
| Grey Bruce Health Services – Owen Sound Site | West |
| Guelph General Hospital | West |
| London Health Sciences Centre – University Hospital | West |
| London Health Sciences Centre – Victoria Hospital | West |
| North Bay Regional Health Centre – North Bay Site | North |
| St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital | West |
| Stratford General Hospital | West |
| Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital | West |
| Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital | West |
| Windsor Regional Hospital – Metropolitan Campus | West |
| Windsor Regional Hospital – Ouellette Campus | West |
| Woodstock General Hospital | West |
| Spokes: | Region: |
| Grand River Hospital Corporation – Kitchener Waterloo Hospital | West |
| Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation – West Lincoln Memorial Hospital | West |
| Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation – General Hospital | West |
| Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation – Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre | West |
| Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation – McMaster University Medical Centre | West |
| Humber River Hospital – Wilson Site | Central |
| Lakeridge Health – Bowmanville | East |
| Lakeridge Health – Oshawa | East |
| Lakeridge Health – Ajax | East |
| Mackenzie Health – Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital | Central |
| Mackenzie Health – Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital | Central |
| North York General Hospital – General Site | Central |
| Oak Valley Health – Markham Stouffville Site | Central |
| Scarborough Health Network – Centenary Site | East |
| Scarborough Health Network – Birchmount Site | East |
| Sinai Health System – Mount Sinai Hospital | Toronto |
| Southlake Regional Health Centre | Central |
| Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre | North |
| Trillium Health Partners – Credit Valley Hospital | Central |
| Trillium Health Partners – Mississauga Hospital | Central |
| William Osler Health System – Brampton Civic Hospital | Central |
| William Osler Health System – Etobicoke General | Central |
| Spokes: | Region: |
| Blanche River Health – Kirkland | North |
| Brockville General Hospital – Charles St. Site | East |
| Hawkesbury and District General Hospital | East |
| Hopital Montfort | East |
| Kingston Health Sciences Centre – Kingston General | East |
| Lennox and Addington County General Hospital | East |
| Pembroke Regional Hospital | East |
| Queensway – Carleton Hospital | East |
| Quinte Healthcare Corporation – Belleville | East |
| St. Joseph’s General Hospital | North |
| The Ottawa Hospital – Civic Site | East |
