The Staff Advisory Committee’s Mandate:

• Contribute to the staff and patient experience by participating in forums to review and provide feedback on new and existing initiatives.
• Be a voice for the broad needs of the Hospital Community to inform strategy, policy and process.
• Provide insight and guidance to the President & CEO (CEO) and Senior Leadership Council to support staff engagement and change management.
• Act as a champion to communicate initiatives and promote participation and understanding between and among all staff and departments.
• Requirement for revenue neutral initiatives or proposals with revenue sources identified.
  

Hospital staff joined Kristine Lake, Psychologist, for an honest conversation about mental health and healing through creativity. Kristine shared coping skills and ways to recognize when you or others are struggling.

Shared on behalf of Ryan Sears, Director, Capital and Facility Services.

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As Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (the Hospital) continues to have contractors and third-parties on site at our facility, it is essential that we maintain a secure environment to safeguard our patients, staff and assets. To this extent, we have an established contractor and third-party sign-in procedure in effect, which is included in Policy PP-417 – Contractors on Site. The latest version is available on the iNtranet.

This memo serves as a reminder that as per the policy, all contractors and third-parties must sign-in and obtain a visitor badge upon entry to our facility. They must also sign-out when they exit, returning the badge to the Physical Plant & Maintenance office on the first floor.

Please remind all contractors and third-parties that they must adhere to this procedure as it helps us to maintain a safe and secure environment and ensures that we can account for everyone who is present in our facility at any given time. Please also share this memo with your staff, as applicable.

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Physical Plant & Maintenance office or the Capital Planning office.

Shared on behalf of Crystal Edwards, Director, Women & Children’s & Mental Health Programs; and Dr. Teresa Bruni, Medical Director, Women & Children’s Program

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We are pleased to announce that Janessa Buffone has accepted the position of Coordinator, Women & Children’s Program.

Janessa has been a Registered Nurse working in the Women & Children’s Program in Paediatrics and Maternal Newborn where she has demonstrated her passion for quality healthcare to women and children. She has an extensive history of volunteering where she has had the opportunity to develop leadership skills and a passion for pursuing leadership in a professional capacity.

Janessa is currently enrolled in the Masters of Advanced Nursing Practice program at Lakehead University, as well as in the Obstetrical Nursing program at Humber College. Janessa is passionate about advancing her knowledge and skills and working with others to deliver outstanding care to our patients and families and is committed to ongoing learning and education.

Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Janessa into her new role commencing June 5, 2023.

(Originally published in the May 2023 edition of The Walleye Magazine)

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The impact the pandemic has had on reshaping health care is undeniable. With expanding the use of digital platforms and health technologies, innovation has improved the health care experience for both patients and providers. One example is the Surgical Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) team at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), who is using a web-based platform to offer pre- and post-operative health care to patients from wherever they connect to the internet.

As Caroline Fanti, Director of Regional Surgical Services explains, “We introduced Surgical RPM in November 2020 as a means to enhance TBRHSC’s pandemic response. Our team utilizes a digital tool [SeamlessMD] to engage and monitor surgical patients across Northwestern Ontario.”

Initiating the program during the height of the pandemic was a means to protect patients and manage limited hospital resources, shares Dr. David Puskas, Medical Director of Musculoskeletal Health and Senior Orthopaedic Surgeon at TBRHSC.

“Hospitals are great places when they are necessary, but also, quite frankly, patients can experience a heightened risk of infection while they are admitted. With the challenges of flu seasons, COVID-19 and admission restrictions, Caroline Fanti and I looked for a solution where we can provide the kind of surveillance that patients require, that connection with their care team, and not have patients expose themselves to the risk of hospitalization.”

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The digital tool has personalized information for preparing for surgery through recovery with a digital library, daily tracking and remote monitoring. Dr. Puskas says the response from his patients has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Our pilot study showed patient satisfaction was far higher than it was before we started to reduce length of stay,” states Dr. Puskas. “We are using technology in a way that gives patients confidence and control over their own health care. And also facilitates staying out of the hospital, which is good for everybody.”

For Dr. Travis Marion, Orthopaedic Surgeon and Medical Lead for Spinal Surgery, surgical RPM has been a game-changer.

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“It has empowered my patients by providing them with a significant amount of knowledge at their fingertips, daily questionnaires, exercises and information patients may want to have perioperatively,” says Dr. Marion. “They come in better informed and prepared for their procedure and the course of their care.”

The key to the success of Surgical RPM is that it is a shared model of care. The team has a continuum of providers including the clerical staff who aid with the institution of SeamlessMD, the nurse practitioners (NPs) who answer daily queries and the surgeon, who is available as required.

Nurse practitioners Kayley Heppler and Stephanie Tempelman explain they act as a patient advocate and liaison for thirty days post-op.

“As NPs, we are able operate autonomously in our role,” remarks Heppler. “We perform comprehensive assessments, diagnose, order and interpret diagnostics, prescribe pharmacological and therapeutic interventions and refer to interdisciplinary team members. We rule out complications and work closely with surgeons to meet patient needs.”

“We use SeamlessMD on a daily basis to support patients with internet access in Thunder Bay and across Northwestern Ontario” adds Tempelman. “We monitor concerns that are reported by the patient and it helps us to connect with them to support them. For example, with wound care, if patients are concerned about bruising, redness or swelling, they can submit photos for us to review. The ability to video chat and connect with people in their homes is a huge asset of this program.”

The Surgical RPM team at TBRHSC now supports certain orthopedic, bariatric, gynecological, urological, spine, colorectal and breast surgeries while using technology to narrow the distance between provider and the patient.

“And the faster we can get patients out of the hospital, the more rapidly they will recover the function and the ability to be in their home environment,” summarizes Dr. Puskas. “Remote patient monitoring is a crucial part of bridging that gap. They have the best of both worlds – they are out of the hospital and they have contact with their surgical team, at all levels of that team.

“It’s the future and it’s a bright one.”

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week, there was artwork on display outside the Auditorium on the 3rd floor. Artwork included paintings, photography, poems, sculptures and more, that Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre staff and their families, as well as patients submitted. The artwork depicts what mental wellness/health means to them.

Thank you to Gary Savitsky for providing a 30 minute session of sound therapy for Hospital staff, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week (May 1-5, 2023).

May is Speech and Hearing Month! It is a time dedicated to raising awareness about the work that Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are doing.

Who are we?

SLPs are regulated health professionals who screen, assess, identify and treat speech, language, voice, fluency (stuttering), swallowing, and feeding problems for all age groups in addition to advocating for the prevention of these disorders. Learn more at Speech-Language and Audiology Canada.

In Ontario, Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) hold a Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology and are regulated by the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO).  As of April 1, 2021 individuals must also pass a National Canadian Entry-To-Practice (CETP) Exam prior to receiving their practice license.

New at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

In conjunctions with Food and Nutrition Services, the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) has begun to be implemented at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC). This initiative was launched in Canada in January 2019 and nation-wide implementation is currently underway in keeping with the move toward globally standardized diet textures and terminology. As of March 2022, fluid consistencies at TBHRSC are now aligned with IDDSI. See below for updated terminology in Meditech and IDDSI Framework:

Through partnership with the Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network, SLPs are now completing Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) training. This training is a standardized program for completion and analysis of Videofluroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS), which is a specialized assessment tool SLPs use for patients with swallowing impairments. This training will help improve SLP practice standards, patient care and communication among SLPs and other health care providers.

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For the 14^th year in a row, frontline staff at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre applied for grants for the ‘little things’ that can make a significant difference to patient care. The ideas for patient care improvements come directly from the staff on the frontlines of healthcare; the Family CARE Grant helps bring their ideas to life.

Thanks to funding provided by donors to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, this year $74,773.50 was provided to fund 46 Family CARE (Care Advancements Recommended by Employees) Grants.

Barry Streib, Director, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation and Chair of the selection committee said, “We are excited to be funding these 46 different projects, which will be improving care for patients across the spectrum of the Hospital. We thank the frontline staff for their insights. It is truly a pleasure knowing that the grants which were funded will greatly benefit patients and families using our facility.”

Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President & CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute, praised employees for submitting ideas and funding applications to enhance patients’ and their families’ experiences. “This program is an example of patient centred care in action. These grants support our physicians, staff and volunteers to better respond to the needs, values and preferences of our patients and their families. Their insights and commitment to continually improving our care helps us to achieve our Vision of ‘Exceptional care for every patient, every time’,” said Crocker Ellacott.

The 2022-23 Family CARE grants will fund the purchase of equipment that will benefit patients across the Health Sciences Centre. Some of the items making a difference this year include:

• 10 new two-wheeled walkers for Cardiology/Stroke so patients can get up and mobile sooner without having to wait for one to come available.
• A paediatric wheelchair for Paediatrics, sized for children – the first one for this department.
• Music CDs for Radiation Therapy so relaxing and multicultural music can be played for patients during treatment instead of listening to radio stations.
• Six sets of weights and 10 exercise bands for the Renal program to facilitate exercise for patients to improve their physical functioning, muscle strength and quality of life.
• A cell phone/device charging station in the Emergency Department for people to access during their time in the department, especially in cases that require unexpected long stays for patients and people accompanying them.

Parents of young children will also be comforted to know about the stuffed animals that have been purchased for the OR. They will be available to comfort children in the OR before their operation. “It’s better when a child comes in if they can focus on something,” says Debra Everts, OR Team Leader. “We can play with it like a puppet or they can hold it – whatever they need. It really helps. They visibly calm down, and you can see their heart rate go down on the monitor, too.

”Helping kids feel less anxious during surgery is just one way Family CARE Grants help patients at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre every day. A full list of all 2022 grants can be found online at healthsciencesfoundation.ca/familycare.