Week 8 Winner – HSO Global Workforce Survey

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

Adrienne, Surgical Day Care – $50 Waterfront District 

Don’t miss your chance to win one of our weekly prizes, including six 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 August 25, 2025 or until a minimum response rate of 50% is achieved.

CNE 2025 Offer Now Live on Perkopolis!

affinity list feature

Perkopolis is offering TBRHSC an exclusive deal for CNE 2025 — with up to 47% off admission and ride passes.

This limited-time offer is live now, with maximum savings available until August 14. It’s a great way to enjoy one of Toronto’s biggest summer events with friends or family.

Check out the poster below on how to register.

Maternity Centre: Welcome to our July Babies

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 126 babies born at our Hospital during the month of July. Congratulations on the new bundles of joy!

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

New Physician Announcement: Dr. Javier Bonacina

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Javier Bonacina has joined the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as a full-time General Cardiologist with the Department of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Bonacina earned his Medical Degree from the National University of Tucumán in Argentina. He holds specialty certifications in both Cardiology and Cardiac Electrophysiology, having trained at the National University of Tucumán and the National University of La Plata, respectively. Dr. Bonacina brings extensive experience in advanced cardiac electrophysiology, having completed a two-year Adult Advanced Invasive Electrophysiology Fellowship at McMaster University’s Hamilton General Hospital, where his work included electrophysiology lab procedures, cardiac device implantation, and arrhythmia clinics.

Dr. Bonacina served as an Electrophysiologist at leading medical centers in Argentina, including Yunes Clinic and Hospital Angel C. Padilla. He has presented at numerous national and international conferences and contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications on the topics of cardiac arrhythmias, electrophysiology, and heart failure.

Fluent in both Spanish and English, he is passionate about collaborative patient care and medical education, and is known for his commitment to advancing arrhythmia management and cardiac health.

Let’s all extend a warm welcome to Dr. Javier Bonacina!

Honouring Emancipation Day

Emancipation Day is observed annually on August 1, to mark the day in 1834 when the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 came into effect—however, full emancipation for enslaved peoples in Canada would not be realized until several years later, on July 31, 1838.  

Although slavery was abolished in Canada, Black and Indigenous communities—including the descendants of those who were enslaved—continue to experience systemic racism and discrimination, and social and health inequities that contribute to disparities in health outcomes, and negative impacts to physical and mental health.

Many Canadians remain unaware of Canada’s participation in the transatlantic slave trade, and the enslavement of Indigenous Peoples. This day is therefore an important opportunity to acknowledge Canada’s history, and to commit to addressing anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) recognizes the importance of providing culturally-safe and responsive care, and fostering an inclusive environment for our patients, their families, and our staff. In order to embed equity, diversity, and inclusion in all that we do, TBRHSC will:

  1. Develop a Black Health Plan. The Black Health Plan will be a roadmap to creating equitable health conditions for Black populations
  2. Continue to advance culturally-safe care through staff education and training, and cultural activities and initiatives at TBRHSC
  3. Provide culturally safe services. Indigenous Care Coordinators, the Traditional Wellness Coordinator, Spiritual Care Associates, and Patient Advocates support patients’ unique preferences, needs, values, and culture throughout their care journey

To learn more about Emancipation Day, please go to: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/emancipation-day.html

To learn more about the social determinants and inequities for Black populations, please go to: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health/social-determinants-inequities-black-canadians-snapshot.html

Good Catch Safety Awards

Good Catch Awards highlight individuals, groups or departments who demonstrate their commitment to keeping patients safe by reporting a near miss. A ‘good catch’ (or near miss) is an event or situation that could have resulted in harm, but did not reach the patient because of chance or timely intervention. Reporting these events can help to identify gaps in order to prevent future adverse events from happening.


Donna, a nurse in the Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit (PACU), heard people talking outside the unit after hours and went to find out what was happening. Plain clothes policemen were about to enter the PACU to interview a patient. Donna stopped them and asked them to discuss the request with the Admin Coordinator, as per policy. Good catch!

While working on 2B, Andrew noticed that the physician had ordered Amlodipine 200 mg – an unusually large amount for this medication.  Andrew did not draw up the medication and sought clarification from the MRP.  The order should have been for Amiodarone 200 mg so the MRP rewrote the order and Andrew administered the correct medication and dose. Good eye!

Jen, RN and Shelly, IR Booking Clerk are both part of the Diagnostic Imaging team. When Jen was consenting a patient for her thoracentesis procedure, the patient asked if she would also be receiving her liver biopsy but Jen saw only the thoracentesis for that day. The following day when clarifying procedures with Shelly, Jen inquired about the patient’s liver biopsy. Shelly had not received the order so Jen called the floor to have them enter the order and Shelly worked quickly to have the procedure booked within an hour of receiving the requisition.  The floor was also requested to hold the patient’s anticoagulants so that the procedure could be completed that day. Great teamwork and patient advocacy!

Thank you to all for your diligence and dedication to safety!  Each recipient has been awarded a certificate and gift cards to local businesses to enjoy this summer.

New winners will be selected every quarter. Continue submitting your near misses for a chance to win! Near miss reports are submitted through the Incident Learning System (patient safety incidents). Click on the ‘safety reporting’ icon from your Novell home page, or go to the iNtranet and choose ‘Safety Reporting’ under ‘Informational’.

For more information, contact Terry Fodë, Patient Safety Improvement Specialist (terry.fode@tbh.net).

(VIDEO) Strategic Plan 2026: Patient Experience

Strategic Plan 2026 is a joint plan developed by Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI). It is guided by five key pillars: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Patient Experience; Staff Experience; Research, Innovation and Learning; and Sustainable Future.

Each year, one of these strategic priorities is highlighted through a video that showcases impactful initiatives aligned with our shared vision.

This year, we are proud to focus on Patient Experience—demonstrating our ongoing commitment to delivering compassionate, patient-centred, and high-quality care that reflects the diverse needs of patients and families across Northwestern Ontario.

Week 7 Winner – HSO Global Workforce Survey

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

Patricia, Infection Control – $50 Cheese Encounter Gift Card

Don’t miss your chance to win one of our weekly prizes, including six 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 August 25, 2025 or until a minimum response rate of 50% is achieved.

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