To enhance your experience at hospitals in Northwestern Ontario, we are asking patients to Opt In to receiving text messages and emails.

Starting in Fall 2025, hospitals in Northwestern Ontario will begin sending appointment reminders and confirmations by SMS (text message) or email for patients aged 16 and over to those who Opt In.

Please note: No personal health information (PHI) or any sensitive or confidential details will be shared through these messages.

This service is part of a phased initiative to enhance regional communication and technology. Participation is voluntary, and you may unsubscribe or withdraw your consent at any time without affecting your care. To unsubscribe, visit the provided link or your local hospital’s website.

By submitting the enrollment form, you consent to receive SMS or email appointment reminders and confirmations from Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre, Dryden Regional Health Centre, Riverside Health Care, and Lake of the Woods District Hospital for departments including Diagnostic Imaging, Surgical Consults, and Specialty Clinics. As this is a phased-in approach, communication will be extended to all other partnering hospital organizations in the Northwest (NW) region. This may include, but not be limited to, appointment reminders and other communications from health care providers in the future.

If you DO NOT consent to receive SMS or email appointment reminders and confirmations, do not complete the questions and existing methods of contact (phone and mail) will remain.To sign up and get more information, visit https://nwo-sms.ca/

FAQS for Patients about Opting In to SMS Notifications

Unlock big savings on home and auto insurance. Co-Operators is offering TBRHSC employees exclusive summer savings. Go to coopgroup.ca for more information or call 1-800-387-1963 for a quote today.

Thank you to those who have completed the HSO Global Workforce Survey and congratulations to this week’s prize winners! 

• Samantha, Emergency – $25 Gift Card to Pizza Hut
• Jordan, Nursing Practice – $25 President’s Choice Gift Card
• Debbie, Bariatric Care Centre – $25 Gift Card to Pizza Hut 

Don’t miss your chance to win one of our weekly prizes, including 6 months free parking! 

To complete the survey click here. Once you have completed the survey, use the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HSO to enter into the prize draws. Once entered, your name will stay in for the remaining draws! 

A reminder that the survey closes July 18, 2025 or until a minimum response rate of 50% is achieved.

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A new program dedicated to supporting children and youth with complex medical needs has launched at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC).

Complex Care for Kids Ontario (CCKO) at TBRHSC is an outpatient program that aims to improve the care experience for children with medical complexity and their families by enhancing care coordination, continuity of care and effective communication between families and health care providers.

Led by a nurse practitioner working in collaboration with a paediatrician, the program helps establish clear goals of care for patients and families and develops comprehensive medical care plans to facilitate the sharing of critical patient information. Additionally, the nurse practitioner works closely with tertiary children’s hospitals to maintain continuity of care.

One of Thunder Bay CCKO’s strengths is its flexibility to meet children and families “where they are at,” offering care and coordination either within the Hospital or at community sites such as Thunder Bay Paediatrics or George Jeffrey Children’s Centre.

Currently, CCKO accepts referrals from local paediatricians for children and youth who meet specific criteria, including medical complexity, fragility, technology dependence, chronic conditions, and rurality.

We are pleased to welcome Kayla Santerre as the nurse practitioner leading the launch of the CCKO program at TBRHSC. Kayla joins our Hospital after three years of providing primary care in Geraldton, Ontario. She brings more than 15 years of nursing experience across a variety of rural settings, including primary, acute, and emergency care. Kayla will be working in close collaboration with Dr. Teresa Bruni, a valued member of the Department of Paediatrics since 1994.

The launch of the Complex Care program in Northwestern Ontario is a meaningful step toward bringing care closer to home for children and youth with complex medical needs. Having spent most of my career working in rural communities, I’ve seen the challenges families face when specialized care is far away. I’m proud to be part of this program and excited to help make a real difference for these kids and their families.

Kayla Santerre, Nurse Practitioner, TBRHSC

The Maternity Centre at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) provides prenatal care for the residents of Thunder Bay and surrounding region. Our team is committed to providing evidence-based maternity care that is safe, respectful and culturally sensitive.

Self-referral can be made to be seen by a Nurse Practitioner, Family Medicine Physician, Social Worker, Kinesiologist, Dietician, and Lactation Consultant.

To be seen by an Obstetrician, a referral is needed from your primary health care provider or midwife.

During pregnancy, you are welcome to call the Maternity Centre to schedule an appointment with one of our prenatal care providers. All of our programs are accessible with your Ontario health card.

TBRHSC’s Maternity Centre welcomes the 124 babies born at our Hospital during the month of June. Congratulations on the new bundles of joy!

Find out more about our services by visiting https://bit.ly/TBRHSC-Maternity-Centre-info

Stephane Herbert visited the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as part of his incredible journey biking across Canada from Vancouver to Montreal.

As a proud living donor who donated a kidney to a friend four years ago, Stephane’s mission is to show that amazing things can still be accomplished after donation! He aims to raise awareness about organ donation, reminding us that every signature on a donor card can save lives.

He’s also raising funds for the Maison des Greffés Lina Cyr, an outstanding organization that provides critical housing and support for patients awaiting or recovering from a transplant. Since 1994, they’ve helped over 43,000 patients in Quebec.

Currently, there are not enough registered and available deceased donors to provide organs and tissues for all patients waiting on the transplant list. Living kidney donation presents a beneficial alternative for those needing a kidney transplant, as it allows recipients to avoid the long wait often associated with deceased donor lists. By opting for a pre-emptive living kidney transplant, patients can completely bypass dialysis. Additionally, the average lifespan of a kidney from a living donor is approximately 15-20 years, compared to 12-15 years for a kidney from a deceased donor. This means patients can enjoy a more normal life after their transplant.

To register to be an organ and tissue donor, click here.
To find more information regarding living kidney donation, click here.
Residents in the region who are interested in living kidney donation can also email Stacy Heerema at stacy.heerema@tbh.net for more information. 

The staff entrance at the Cafeteria will be closed for upcoming terrazzo repair work starting on Thursday, July 10, at 8:00 p.m. until Sunday, July 13. Staff will be detoured to the I door as an entrance. See map below for detour route.

If you have any questions, please contact Darin Preto at Darin.Pretto@tbh.net, or Kristi Judge at Kristi.Judge@tbh.net.

The next phase of terrazzo repair work will be completed in three separate sections:

Area A is the middle section of the cafeteria.  Please refer to the below attached map P7A. This Section of work will take place from July 7-12.

Area B will be of the East Cafeteria Entrance. Please refer to below attached map P7B. This work will take place between July 10-13.

Area C will be the area in front of Elevator 1, and the patient entrance to Forensics. Please refer to below attached map P7C. This work will take place between July 11-16.

Work will begin the evening of Monday, July 7 and continue through to Friday, July 18.  As previously, work will occur overnight from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and fencing will be placed around the work area for the duration of the timeframe to protect the area and equipment, and to ensure the safety of staff, patients and visitors.  

IMPACTS:

• Access will be detoured around for staff entrance to I stair well door, from July 10-13
• Access to Elevator 1 will be detour to elevator 4 during the period of July 11 – 16
• Access for Forensic Patients and Staff will be detour to another entrance of the unit during the period of July 11 – 16

If you have any questions, please contact Darin Preto at Darin.Pretto@tbh.net or Kristi Judge at Kristi.Judge@tbh.net.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all staff for the continued patience, support, and understanding throughout the recent construction activities for the CVS expansion.

Your cooperation has been key in helping us move through this phase as smoothly and efficiently as possible. We’re excited to share that the piling work has now been completed — marking the achievement of a major milestone for the project.

While this marks significant progress, there will still be ongoing construction noise and vibration impacts. These will be a lower magnitude and will include masonry removals, ground compaction, and structural steel installations.

We understand that any disruption can be challenging, and we are committed to keeping these impacts to a minimum. Your ongoing understanding and flexibility are greatly appreciated as we work to improve our hospital and community.

Thank you again for your remarkable support!