Telemedicine is the delivery of health care from a distance using virtual technology. Also known as virtual health care, telemedicine helps people access the care they need when and where they need it.
By maximizing access to care and minimizing travel and wait times, virtual care makes health care delivery more human, efficient, and equitable. Working together with patients, primary care providers, and specialists, we can provide more care options and innovative solutions that help improve access to specialized care and reduces pressure on hospitals.
All Telemedicine appointments must be requested by your health care provider. Nursing support is available for appointments hosted at TBRHSC. If you prefer to not travel for an appointment, just ask your provider if they are able to schedule you a virtual appointment.
On April 17th, Regional Cancer Care Northwest’s multidisciplinary brachytherapy team reached an exciting milestone: The 100th high dose rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy procedure at our Hospital was completed!
Prostate brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy that can be used to treat some stages of prostate cancer. HDR brachytherapy involves placing radioactive sources in the prostate gland and delivering a high dose of radiation in a few minutes before the sources are removed. The radiation can destroy the cancer cells while causing less damage to nearby healthy tissues.
Congratulations to the team!
Pictured from left to right: Isaac Tavares, Susan Sloan, Jessica Dubinsky, Tara MacNeil, Jennifer Fabiano, Jessica Dubinsky, Dr. Marlon Hagerty. Missing Dr. Patrick Rapley.
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that Materials Management announces the unexpected passing of our colleague, Matthew Hudyma.
Matthew started with us a short while ago, but in this time he made a big impression on those that he worked with. His enthusiasm and excitement was contagious. Matthew was a great member of the team, he was respectful, a quick learner and always went out of his way to help others, he will be greatly missed.
Our thoughts also go out to his family for their loss. As a sign of respect and mourning, TBRHSC flags will be put to half mast on Thursday April 20, 2023.
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts, that we announce the unexpected passing of Matthew John Hudyma. He passed away on Sunday, April 16, 2023 in Thunder Bay at the age of 32.
Matthew was born on March 31, 1991 to John and Linda Hudyma. He was a kind and caring person and was always there for you. Matt’s smile lit up the room and he was loved by everyone. He had a great childhood with his loving Mom and Dad, and an awesome group of friends who meant everything to him. Matt was a gamer and loved his video games online with friends.
He recently started a career at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as a storekeeper, which he loved, and was so excited making plans for the future.
Matt is survived by his mother Linda and father John.
A Celebration of Life for Matthew will be held on Thursday, April 20, 2023 with a come and go reception held from 6:30pm until 8:30pm in the WESTFORT CHAPEL, 420 West Gore Street at James.
Should friends so desire, in lieu of flowers, donations made in memory of Matthew to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation would be greatly appreciated.
Shared on behalf of Adam Vinet, VP, Patient Experience, CNE & RVP, Regional Cancer Care
With Bonnie Nicholas’ impending Fall 2023 retirement, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Shannon Schiffer as the Manager, Patient & Family Centred Care, Patient Experience, Engagement and Advocacy, effective August 28, 2023.
As Manager of Patient and Family Centred Care (PFCC) Shannon will continue to support advocacy and drive patient experience initiatives and quality improvement based on PFCC best practices, ensuring the patients voice is at the centre of everything we do. Shannon will work to advance Strategic Plan 2026 priorities, including evolving Patient and Family Centred Care via Co-Design, implementation of a new digital patient experience survey vendor (Qualtrics), and foster a robust Patient Family Advisor program. Shannon has successfully sought collaboration opportunities within the organization to improve patient experience and has recruited staff into positions within PFCC.
Shannon is well known to the staff at TBRHSC as the Patient Advocate, a role she has held since 2019. Shannon holds a Masters in Social Work, HBA in Psychology, and minors in both Sociology and Political Science. She is also trained in a variety of therapies and holds a variety of other therapeutic certifications and registrations. Shannon is skilled in engagement, evaluation and research.
Shannon has extensive Hospital experience, including 5 years at Dryden Regional Mental Health and Addictions Services as a Therapist. In her 11-year career journey within our organization, prior to her role as Patient Advocate, Shannon held a variety of Social Work positions at TBRHSC including 3 years in the leadership role of Social Work Professional Practice Lead. During that time, she planned and implemented educational sessions for her colleagues and worked collaboratively with staff, management, and community resources to build the professional social work body at our organization. Shannon was also the Acting Manager, PFCC from September 2022 to January 2023.
Please join me in congratulating Shannon and wishing her well in this new role.
Shared on behalf of Adrianno Copetti, Director – Information Systems & Application Support
I am pleased to announce that Christina Bayko has accepted the position of Manager, Health Records at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Christina will be responsible for providing leadership of the Health Records team. Christina brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and leadership with nearly 10 years experience in project management, software implementation and support as part of our regional Shared Meditech support team in Informatics.
Please join me in congratulating Christina and wishing her well in this new role.
I want to thank Marcia Gillies for all her contributions as Interim Manager as well as Stefany Galati & Shannen Pudas for their leadership during this recruitment.
Keith Hietala is in Thunder Bay for a doctor’s appointment, his brother Ken keeping him company for the drive from Marathon, ON. The two brothers have always been close, supporting each other throughout their respective health care journeys.
Keith explains, “I said to Ken, “You know, we’re six years post-op, but we’re still fighting the fact of being obese for so many years. Now I’m having to deal with vein issues in my legs.”
Keith is referring to the bariatric surgery they both underwent for treatment of obesity and other weight-related issues.
The brothers struggled with their weight for years.
“If you look at my pictures over the years, every year, there is a little bit more weight,” Keith recounts. “When I got into mining, I was known as the big guy on the job. I was strapping. But when I got to 515 lbs, it came to the point where you don’t even know where to turn for help. The bariatric program is what saved us.”
Both Keith and Ken grappled with numerous health problems due to their weight. “I had to go for an ultrasound for gallstones, and saw a doctor here in Thunder Bay,” says Ken. “And being so large of a person, the doctor asked if I had ever thought about going into the bariatric program. When you are as big as Keith and I were – at my highest I was 432 lbs – you are at the point that you are maxed out on the equipment that you can go through at the Hospital. One time, I had issues with my lungs, I actually had to go down to Toronto to get a scan done because I was too big for the machine.”
Once the doctor brought up the bariatric program to Ken, and he started to seriously consider it, Keith decided to connect with his family physician in Marathon to talk about bariatric surgery.
“Bariatric surgery had been mentioned to me a few times by my own family physician. I had numerous bouts of cellulitis, severe sleep apnea, and I was on a BPAP machine – which pushes the air in and sucks the air out,” Keith states. “So when Ken said he was going to go through with the surgery, I said, if one of us was going to get it done, why not the both of us? We could do it together and be supportive of one another.”
This was in 2015, when bariatric program at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) Regional Bariatric Care Centre (RBCC) was in its infancy.
Keith explains, “At that point, we did our preliminary work in Thunder Bay. By the time we did our surgery, they [the Regional Bariatric Care Centre] retained the surgeons in Thunder Bay. Dr. Smith did some of my initial work, but because my BMI was so high, I was considered high risk, so my surgery was actually performed in Hamilton in December 2016. Ken’s surgery was January of 2017. Follow up after surgery was all done through TBRHSC.”
The TBRHSC Regional Bariatric Care Centre is a Bariatric Centre of Excellence, providing specialized treatment options for adults living with obesity and weight-related complications. It is an intraprofessional health care team that includes an internal medicine physician, psychologist, dietitians, bariatric surgeons, social worker, nurses and kinesiologist. The team works collaboratively to provide wrap-around care, including pre- and post-operative care, counseling and surgical services.
“Keith and I can’t say enough good things about the people here at TBRHSC,” gushes Ken. “They were great to us.”
“I interacted a lot with Sarah Miller, the registered dietitian,” adds Keith. “She always expressed, if you need anything, contact me. Whenever I had questions, or was looking for advice, she was always available.”
Sarah Miller, who is the Clinical Team Lead at RBCC, knows how hard navigating all the food and nutrition information available can be. “When I first started working as a registered dietitian in 2003, I met many patients who were frustrated by traditional approaches to weight loss,” she explains. “In most cases, despite their best efforts at weeding out toxic dieting culture and integrating public health messages, they continued to struggle with weight gain and their relationship to food and in many cases, declining health. It’s my job to interpret the science of nutrition into terms everyone can understand, in order to support healthy living.”
Sarah is happy to answer her patients’ questions, and help them along the path to success.” It’s very rewarding to see people living healthier lives and experience a better quality of life!” she exclaims.
Since the surgery, Keith has lost 305 lbs and Ken has lost 220 lbs. Quality of life, Keith and Ken agree, has improved immensely.
“I’ve often been asked how this has changed my life,” says Keith. “Prior to surgery I was barely existing; now I am living! We are no longer house bound, we can socialize. This has given us a new lease on life.”
“Guaranteed,” Ken agrees. “We try to walk everyday (when it’s not -40). We keep active. We enjoy gardening, yard work. Healthy cooking, baking and meal planning. It’s all part of a post bariatric-surgery lifestyle.”
Keith chimes “We have three small rescue dogs – a.k.a. the fur kids – that keep us going!”
And for their part, the brothers are glad to share their story, hoping that it will inspire others to reclaim their health.
“I know others who have gone through the surgery, and they’ll just say, “I became more active” and won’t elaborate,” comments Keith. “I’ve been upfront about my journey since day one. That’s why I feel good about telling my story. I have nothing to hide. I had bariatric surgery. It was life changing for both of us.”
“Keith and I are both an open book about having the surgery,” Ken adds. “We were out at a wedding last summer, and somebody asked us about losing the weight. They had gone for the surgery and were having some issues, and we were able to help them with what to do and who to contact. If we can save somebody else’s life by telling them about what we’ve done, all the better.”
“Prior to going through the surgery I was on 14 different medications,” Keith continues. “Today, I’m only on three medications. Both of us were diabetic, on insulin four times a day. Our diabetes has been reversed and we are no longer on insulin. It’s given us back our lives.”
The brothers want to emphasize that the surgery is not the be-all end-all for weight loss.
Ken explains, “I tell everybody – you can go for the surgery, yes, and you will lose weight. With the surgery, you are given this tool to help you lose weight. But it is up to you to use this tool in the right way. You have to exercise, you have to watch what you eat, and you have got to keep active. It’s a lifestyle change.”
Keith agrees with his brother, adding that “If you want to be successful, the key is that you have to be willing to say, “Hey, my life as I knew it, has to change. Bariatric surgery is a tool that is getting me started, but I have to follow through if I’m going to be successful.”
The brothers emphasize that it’s all about putting your health as your priority. “Keith and I turned over a new leaf,” Ken asserts. “Anyone struggling with their weight – there is hope out there for you. But it’s up to you to get the ball rolling, and that is what Keith and I have done.”
Shared on behalf of Julie Vinet, Nursing Practice Leader
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre recognizes and appreciates the dedication of our nurses to providing quality care to every patient, every time, and each year shows our appreciation during National Nursing Week. We all have colleagues or peers that we admire. Below are a few suggestions in order to demonstrate your appreciation and to individually recognize this person during Nursing Week.
Peer Recognition
Peer Shout Out
During National Nursing Week you have the opportunity to send a Shout Out to your nursing peers! Shout outs are a way to recognize each other, boost team moral, and foster a positive work environment. They also promote and encourage intra/interprofessional collaboration. Shout Outs will be posted on the iNtranet during National Nurses Week.
Choose which peer(s) you want to recognize
Complete Shout Out form (attached below) and let everyone know how great they are
Submit Shout Out through email to nurses@tbh.net or drop it off in person to the Professional Practice Department (first floor-Room 1534) by April 25, 2023
Show Another Unit You Care Baskets
Work as a group to create a gift basket to give from one unit to another
Staff members donate items to fill a basket to give to another unit they would like to recognize (participation in this activity is on a voluntary basis)
Items can be anything you want. Be creative!
Managers will assist with coordinating the donations
Submit your items for the basket to your Manager by May 1, 2023
Once all donations items are collected and baskets are ready, Managers will contact Julie Vinet (Julie.Vinet@tbh.net or 684-6764) to collect or baskets can be dropped off to the Professional Practice Department (first floor- Room 1534 by May 3, 2023
The Nursing Week team will deliver the basket to the unit on your behalf during National Nursing Week (May 8-12)
Awards & Bursary
Chief Nursing Executive (CNE) Award
Leadership award selected by the CNE
Patient Experience Award (Nominations Required)
All Hospital employees, physicians, learners, and patients are invited to submit a nomination for a Nurse who has enhanced the patient experience. Submit a letter telling a brief story of how you believe a Nurse has touched the lives of patients and families in a remarkable way (500 words or less). Nominees should:
Be advocates for patients and the nursing profession
Work with patients to improve their experience of care
Be committed to the service of patients
Demonstrate respect, dignity, caring and compassion
Provide care based on the pillars of Patient and Family Centred Care
Staff Experience Award (Nominations Required)
All nurse managers, nurse directors or staff nurses in our facility are invited to submit a nomination for a Nurse who has enhanced a fellow staff experience. Submit a letter telling a brief story of how you believe a Nurse has enhanced a fellow staff or peer experience in a remarkable way (500 words or less). Nominees should:
Demonstrate commitment and support for the community of coworkers
Act as a positive role model
Preceptor Award (Nominations Required)
All Hospital employees, physicians, learners, and patients are invited to submit a nomination for a Nurse Preceptor who has enhanced the experience of the learner/new hire (submit your story in 500 words or less).
Volunteer Association Education Bursary (Nominations Required)
All Hospital employees, physicians, learners, and patients are invited to submit a nomination for an exceptional Nurse. Submit a letter telling a brief story of how you believe a Nurse is exceptional (500 words or less). Nominees should:
Staff RPN/RN/NP at TBRHSC
Give evidence of the pursuit of advancing nursing practice through education/continuing education.
Be involved in organizational teams, councils or other groups working to the benefit of advancing nursing care and practice
Advocate for the profession of nursing
Provide evidence of delivering Patient and Family Centred Care
Be a role model for Nursing
Please submit your nominations for Patient Experience Award, Staff Experience Award and Volunteer Association Education Bursary via email nurses@tbh.net or drop off to the Professional Practice Department (first floor-Room 1534) by April 25, 2023.
Shared on behalf of Dawna Perry, Michelle Addison, Policy & Procedure Committee Chairs
Effective April 24, 2023 a new downtime procedure will be implemented for accessing policies, procedures, medical directives and PPDOs. We will move to having a backup of these documents on a memory stick and away from having binders on units and in departments. The reasons for this change are due to the rarity of needing a downtime procedure, and the excessive photocopying and paper that goes into the current process.
The memory stick will be stored with Karen Larmand, the Policy & Procedure Secretary, who can print off copies as needed during downtime. She will also keep one binder with paper copies of these documents at her desk. In case there is downtime after normal business hours, a second memory stick will be stored in the Utilization Coordinators’ office.
The process for Standard Operating Practices (SOPs) will not change, as these are locally stored and owned by the unit/department. For those with SOPs, we highly recommend you create your own downtime procedure, such as keeping a current copy of your SOPs on a memory stick and/or keeping a binder with paper copies.
For those of you with binders containing organizational policies, procedures, medical directives and PPDOs, please dismantle your binders by April 24, 2023. This is a critical step, as having these documents, which will be outdated, is a risk to the patients, staff and organization.
