Services & Beds

The quality of care locally will increase as new and specialized services like women’s and senior’s clinics, enhanced diagnostic imaging, cancer care, rehabilitation, and a surgical centre of excellence will be added to the new multi-site regional hospital. For more information on the services offered at the Bracebridge and Huntsville sites view the Services & Beds video at the top of this page.

For more information on the beds available and the breakdown of these beds as they relate to the services offered at each site, watch the Services and Beds video at the top of this page.

Yes, 95% of people who enter the hospital will receive care at the site closest to their home. Both the Bracebridge and Huntsville Emergency Departments double in size, increasing to 27 treatment bays each.

A very small number of patients (approximately 2%) may be transferred to Huntsville from Bracebridge when prolonged care (over 6 days) or reactivation and rehabilitation services are required to support the best possible patient outcome. These decisions are made by clinical teams, not predetermined timelines.  For example, some patients may only require a 7 day stay in Bracebridge and would therefore not be transferred to Huntsville. Some travel between hospital sites for appointments will be required in the new model to provide patients with access to specialist care providers and services.

If a required service is not provided at either hospital, safe patient transfers out of region will still occur.

Bed numbers, services, and clinical programs are based on detailed analysis of real patient data such as emergency visits, admissions, and length of stay, and are guided by standards set across Ontario and Canada. Site and service decisions also reflect geography and distance to care across the region, ensuring communities have timely access to essential and specialized services.

For more information on the data-informed planning process, you can view videos here: Data & Research

Yes. The long-term plan is focused on providing safe, reliable obstetrical care for families across the region. This includes having an obstetrics bed in Bracebridge, along with two obstetrics beds in Huntsville, which reflects the number of births in each community.

MAHC remains focused on delivering safe, high-quality, and family-centred care—ensuring patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. With the temporary consolidation of obstetrical services at the Huntsville site, care is being coordinated to maintain strong clinical support, consistent coverage, and safe, evidence-based outcomes for families across the region. Patients continue to benefit from compassionate, team-based care, with clear pathways to specialized services when needed.

As the region grows, services are being thoughtfully planned for long-term sustainability, and MAHC is working collaboratively with a sub-regional group to develop inclusive, sustainable solutions that meet the obstetrical needs of everyone in Muskoka now and into the future.

Temporary service adjustments are in place to support patient safety and staffing while this work continues. Updates and more information can be found here: MAHC Temporarily Centralizes Obstetrical Services to Huntsville

In the future model of care, the South Muskoka hospital is being designed as MAHC’s hub for ambulatory, outpatient and day services. This includes day surgery and many other services that patients access without being admitted overnight.

Locating cancer care alongside these closely connected services will help patients receive more seamless, coordinated care in one place. It also ensures cancer-care teams are supported by the diagnostics, pharmacy services, clinical expertise and other resources needed to deliver treatment safely, respond quickly if a patient’s condition changes, and reduce the need for patients to travel between sites during an already difficult time.

Cancer care depends on a full network of clinical and support services.

Patients receiving treatments such as chemotherapy may require specialized nursing, pharmacy support, bloodwork, diagnostic imaging, infection prevention measures, physician assessment or urgent medical care. These needs can arise before, during or after treatment.

Having the appropriate teams and services available in one location means patients can receive timely care without unnecessary delays, transfers or additional travel during an already difficult time.

Specialized healthcare services require trained staff, dedicated resources and reliable access to supporting clinical services. Duplicating these services across two locations can spread limited staffing and expertise too thin and create higher operating costs.

Past experience has shown that operating multiple oncology locations can make it more difficult to maintain consistent staffing, expertise and service availability. Consolidating cancer care in one purpose-built location will help create a stronger and more sustainable program in Muskoka.

Bringing cancer care teams and supporting services together will help strengthen collaboration, clinical expertise and continuity of care.

It will also allow MAHC to:

• Maintain reliable staffing and specialized expertise
• Coordinate treatment, pharmacy, laboratory and diagnostic services
• Respond more quickly if a patient’s condition changes
• Reduce the likelihood of service interruptions
• Provide care in a space designed for current and future cancer-care needs

The goal is to provide safe, consistent and high-quality care for patients across the entire region.

The future South Muskoka hospital is being designed around ambulatory, outpatient and day services. Cancer care is closely connected with many of these services, including diagnostic testing, pharmacy, day procedures and follow-up care.

Locating these services together will help patients move more easily between appointments and receive coordinated care from the appropriate teams in one location.

Patients receiving cancer treatment can sometimes experience sudden changes in their condition.

At the future South Muskoka hospital, cancer care will be supported by access to laboratory services, pharmacy, diagnostics, physicians and urgent medical care. This will allow the care team to assess and respond quickly if a patient requires additional treatment or support.

Planning continues as MAHC works through the capital redevelopment process.

Patient volumes, service needs, clinical standards and future demand will continue to be monitored. Flexibility remains an important part of the design so that hospital spaces and services can adapt as healthcare needs change over time.