Published On: September 22, 2026
St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH) is marking the one-year anniversary of two important service expansions that have helped more patients and families access specialized care closer to home.
In September 2025, STEGH expanded its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) from a Level 2a to a Level 2b designation, allowing the hospital to care for babies born as early as 32 weeks. At the same time, STEGH expanded its Systemic Therapy Program to a five-day-a-week model, increasing local capacity for chemotherapy and other intravenous infusion treatments.
One year later, both programs are demonstrating the value of expanding specialized services within St. Thomas and Elgin County.
“Keeping care close to home can make an enormous difference for patients and families, particularly during times that are already stressful and uncertain,” said Gina Souliere, Director of Surgical Services, Women & Children’s, and Ambulatory Services at STEGH. “These expansions have allowed our teams to provide a higher level of care locally, while reducing the need for patients and families to travel outside of our community.”
Enhanced neonatal care for local families
Prior to STEGH’s transition to a Level 2b NICU, pregnant patients under 33 weeks gestation requiring this level of care generally needed to deliver outside St. Thomas, most often in London. The enhanced NICU designation allows more mothers and newborns to remain together and closer to their families and support systems.
Early data reflects increased activity within the NICU, with discharges rising by 10 per cent and patient days increasing by 3.6 per cent from April to August 2026 compared with the same period last year.
“For families with a premature newborn, being able to receive the care they need in their own community matters,” said Souliere. “This milestone is the result of significant preparation, education, and commitment from our teams, and we are proud of what this expanded level of neonatal care has meant for families across St. Thomas and Elgin.”
More cancer treatments available five days a week
The expansion of STEGH’s Systemic Therapy Program to five days a week has also increased the hospital’s ability to provide chemotherapy and IV infusion treatments locally.
Between April and August 2026, systemic therapy visits increased by 18.4 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.
For patients receiving ongoing cancer treatment, having greater access to treatment in St. Thomas can mean fewer trips outside the community and less time spent travelling during an already challenging period.
“The growth we have seen over the past year demonstrates the need for these services in our community,” said Souliere. “Our goal is to continue building capacity wherever we can so that patients can receive high-quality care as close to home as possible.”
The two service expansions reflect STEGH’s ongoing commitment to strengthening local access to care and responding to the evolving healthcare needs of St. Thomas and Elgin County.