Despite challenges caused by the COVID pandemic, Bluewater Health has risen in the rankings of the top hospitals in Canada.
The hospital is ranked 32nd in the list developed by Statista Inc., and published by Newsweek. They ranked 50th in 2019 and 38th in 2020 and 2021.
Communications Chief Julia Oosterman said it wouldn't be possible without the great staff at the site.
"We absolutely have been so blessed throughout the pandemic and even before, and we will continue to be post-pandemic, to have an incredibly dedicated group of several thousand individuals who work in our hospital," said Oosterman. "We are so blessed. I think the strength of the people is really what has shone through over the pandemic."
Oosterman notes Bluewater Health is Canada's highest ranking hospital in a non-mega-urban centre.
"We do have incredible infrastructure in Sarnia-Lambton," she said. "We live in a community that's been very generous in helping support the hospital. As a result, we do have state-of-the-art MRI, state-of-the-art CT scanners, and some beautiful equipment like mammography machines. These are all things which fall under quality of care."
She said Bluewater Health's equipment has improved over the past couple of years with things like new MRI machines, mammography machines and CT scanners.
The ranking, based on recommendations from health professionals, takes into account factors like wait times, infection rates, and patient feedback.
