(via tbnewswatch.com)

A newly launched virtual paediatric program between the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and small and rural hospitals in the northwest from Kenora to Marathon is already showing results

---

The timing couldn’t be better.

That’s the assessment from Dr. Teresa Bruni, one of the program leads for a virtual paediatric ER program for small and rural hospitals from Kenora to Marathon delivered by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

“We are being overwhelmed by very sick pediatric patients, so I think this is a great time to roll this out and help our community hospitals with these patients,” Bruni said.

The program allows a pediatrician in Thunder Bay to examine a child by video conference using provincial telemedicine tools.

The regional hospital said Bruni, a paediatrician and the medical director of the women and children’s program along with Meghan Hill, a registered nurse and the regional paediatric lead, were instrumental in developing the program.  

Bruni said they are so happy they were able to make this program happen.  

She said for many years, the region has been asking, “when were we going to start virtual video support for the paediatric patients?” much like the well-received adult critical care response that has been available in the Northwest.

“With the support of our regional hospitals and our hospital here, we came up with an initiative to start to put together a regional paediatric critical response program,” Bruni said.

The paediatrics group in Thunder Bay currently has nine pediatricians.

“We certainly have increased our numbers over the years and again another reason why we feel we need to step up and provide this enhanced service. We have more resources now,” Bruni said.

---

Since the program started on Nov. 21, the Regional Paediatric Response program has already made five consultations, as of Tuesday.

“The first one I did with Meghan was a little boy with asthma, but he was really upset with all the interventions and he was screaming quite a bit, which is a good sign because you have to have lots of energy and be well enough to scream,” Bruni said. “I think it’s the parents [who] felt really reassured just having that support and collaboration between the doctors and the teams.”

Hill added, “I had a little younger guy who I think was just thrilled to see someone on the TV talking to him.”     

The consultations have allowed two paediatric patients to be maintained in their communities without needing to be transferred to Thunder Bay, Hill said

Bruni said they were fortunate to designate Hill as the lead for the pilot project, “because Meghan was instrumental and very involved in setting up the adult program, so she’s been involved for many years and she’s been an adult ICU nurse.”

Hill said the Regional Paediatric Response program was basically modelled after the Regional Critical Care Response program.

“It’s also been able to give us a second set of eyes on our patients in the region where they lack the resources that we have here at our bigger centre,” she said.

“The biggest thing is starting those early interventions and potentially having decreased hospital stays once they get here because those interventions have been started at an appropriate time. The overall goal is to provide high quality care to the right patient in the right place at the right time.”

Hill said one area of support the regional partners have asked for with this program is paediatric education.  

The benefits of the program are more than just initiating early intervention for pediatric patients, she said. 

“It’s actually just providing that support to those [healthcare] positions in the smaller hospitals, where they might not see these children very often,” Hill said. “We’re able to extend that support using virtual [technology] and kind of decreasing geographical barriers that we have in the Northwest.”

Hill said the paediatricians receive an average of up to 300 calls for consults from regional sites per year, and being able to see the patients is an added enhancement to just dealing with it over the phone.

Bruni said a reality of the North is that it can take a long time to get an air transport to Thunder Bay or to travel by road. She said the service can help provide support during the wait for transport, which can further help stabilize the patient so they come in better shape. As well, the Regional hospital would have a better idea of what shape the child is in when they arrive, so staff can be better prepared.    

As the paediatric centre for the region, Bruni said, the Thunder Bay regional has hospital always provided 24/7 phone support.

“Now we are able to add the video component,” she said. “I have great respect and admiration for our regional physicians and allied health, when they have a sick child, even in our hospital it can be so stressful and overwhelming so having that support even sometimes you’re doing a great job just reassuring them, helping support them.”

Bruni said this is the pilot year for the program, although she is feels it will be a permanent program and in fact hopes it expands beyond the 12 small and rural hospitals, to cover nursing stations as well.

She said the program is staffed with paediatricians Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with other staff from critical care during evenings and weekends. Her hope is that it expands to a 24-hour operation.

“I think COVID showed us technology does have a place in healthcare and in delivering enhanced healthcare as a supplement to what we’re doing,” she said. “So I’m hoping we’ll be able to make a business case to expand this service.”

Recipients Further Education to Support Patient Care

---

The Laboratory Services team at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) provides an essential service in delivering safe, quality health care to patients. These medical laboratory professionals are trained in a wide range of procedures, performing tests on biological specimens that help physicians diagnose and treat patients. As science and technology are continually evolving, so too is the field of Laboratory Medicine, necessitating continuing education for laboratory staff.

“Laboratory Medicine is a complex scientific field that is ever-changing,” explains Georgia Carr, Manager of Laboratory Services at TBRHSC. “Medical laboratory professionals need to be proactive in keeping up to date with new technologies and testing, as demonstrated by the global pandemic. It is admirable to see Lab staff at TBRHSC keeping the bar raised high for individual professional development.”

Continuing education is something that Dr. Douglas Rathbone, prominent Thunder Bay physician and former coroner, valued highly. Through an endowment to honour her husband, Mrs. Rathbone established the Dr. Douglas Rathbone Scholarship Fund, which supports Laboratory Services staff at TBRHSC to enroll in relevant continuing education courses or professional development and ease financial burden.

This year, there were ten successful recipients of the scholarship: Brittany Coultis, Lauren Daberer, Jessica Kelly, Meagen Lepage, Yutong Liu, Chelsea Mitchell, Michelle Morden, Greg Smelt, Daniel Stilla and Raymond Zuliani. Several are pursing continuing education programs through the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science, in areas like quality systems, laboratory safety, or updating their skills and knowledge in specific diseases. Others are pursuing professional development opportunities by enrolling in higher education.

Yutong Liu, Pathology Clerk, is grateful to be one of the scholarship recipients this year. “This fund encourages me to set higher academic goals and motivate myself to learn valuable skills that I can apply in my day-to-day job,” Liu stated. “I will continue working in the medical field, and, considering it’s a fast-changing environment, this fund is also a strong driving force for me to take on new responsibilities. I am so appreciative of this great opportunity to continue my education, and I am forever grateful to have a supportive team that I work with.”

Daniel Stilla, currently working as a Medical Laboratory Assistant Level III performing pre-analytical testing, will use the scholarship funds towards furthering his education in medical laboratory technology. He emphasizes the importance of Laboratory Science in health care. “Science is advancing at an unprecedented rate, and laboratory technology is at the forefront of the war against lethal pathogens, mutations, and disease,” Stilla remarked. “It is imperative that we encourage our team to advance themselves by furthering education in as many concentrations of the lab as possible, so we can enforce a defensive barrier around our patients. Grasping a greater understanding in the work we do not only improves the quality and efficiency of our analysis, but also recognizing gaps in overall workflow from procurement to final result.”

By improving their knowledge and skills, these health care professionals are demonstrating their commitment to patient care. Scholarship recipient and phlebotomist Brittany Coultis put it best, stating, “Continuing education is important to me because it helps expand my practice to improve patient outcomes. As health care professionals, it helps us stay up to date on the constant changes to improve practices, as well as helps build confidence in our personal abilities to help patients. Continuing my education helps me improve my critical learning skills as well.”

Much like his accomplished career in medicine, The Dr. Douglas Rathbone Scholarship will have a profound impact for generations to come. This endowment will allow TBRHSC staff to continue the journey of personal development while enhancing patient care. Congratulations to these ten recipients of the Dr. Douglas Rathbone Scholarship. Join us in thanking them for their commitment to providing exceptional care for every patient, every time.

You can learn more about Laboratory Services at TBRHSC by visiting https://bit.ly/TBRHSC-Lab-Services.

Endowments create meaningful legacies while providing stable, dependable funding for programs, equipment and services at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. For more information, please contact the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation at 807-345-4673.

The Thunder Bay 50/50 draw has just crossed the million dollar mark, this is the fastest the jackpot has ever grown during any month.

The Grand Prize draw is on December 30th, the full draw schedule and prize amounts can be found here: https://www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca/5050

Proceeds from this month’s draw will go towards supporting the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Emergency Department, which is one of the busiest in Ontario.

“We are so grateful for these funds as they will go towards enhancing patient care in our Emergency Department,” said Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, and CEO of Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. “I’d like to extend my appreciation to the staff at the Foundation and the people of Northwest Ontario who continue to support their Hospital and frontline health care workers through initiatives like this.”

December Draw Is Open

Tickets are available online or in-person at the December Thunder Bay 50/50 Store at Intercity Shopping Centre (in the food court). People can buy for themselves or to give as gifts! Ticket packages are as follows:

$10 for 5 numbers
$20 for 30 numbers
$50 for 150 numbers + BONUS 50 numbers = 200 numbers total
$100 Super Ticket for 500 numbers + BONUS 100 numbers = 600 numbers
total (Best Value)

** Ticket purchasers must be present in Ontario to purchase and 18 years old or older. Tickets must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 29, 2022 to be eligible for the Grand Prize draw on Friday, December 30, at 11:00 a.m.

Shared on behalf of Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre; CEO, Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute

---

I am pleased to announce Dr. Miranda Lesperance as our new Vice President, Indigenous Collaboration, Equity & Inclusion, effective December 7, 2022.

In this new position, Dr. Lesperance brings more than 18 years of experience working in health research, academics, public health and Indigenous health. She is currently involved in many aspects of health care, education and research settings. More recently, the Public Health Agency of Canada as a Program Manager, Lakehead University as a Contract Lecturer in the Indigenous Learning and Health Sciences Departments, Bruyère Research Institute as a co-Investigator on the STROBE-Equity project, and at the University of Ottawa as a Post-doctoral Fellow on the Indigenous Peoples and COVID-19 projects. 

As Vice President, Indigenous Collaboration, Equity & Inclusion, Dr. Lesperance will report to the President and CEO and provide counsel in advocacy and engagement with Indigenous communities, as well as federal and provincial authorities to improve health delivery and equity outcomes.

In this role, Dr. Lesperance is responsible for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion inclusive of patient health equity objectives, by recommending, developing and leading aspects of the equity, diversity and inclusion strategy. She will work closely with the TBRHSC leadership team to provide expertise, resources, strategies and actions to advance equity and inclusion goals across the organization.

Dr. Lesperance holds a PhD in Social and Behavioural Health Sciences from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. At Lakehead University, she earned her Masters of Public Health with a focus on determinants of health and wellness, and an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology. She has academic and professional training in qualitative and quantitative research and inquiry, including Indigenous and non-indigenous literature, theory, praxis, frameworks, and analytical methods.

Dr. Lesperance is a former MITACS Accelerate fellow and a 6-time recipient of the Indspire Building Brighter Futures scholarship (from 2017-2022), an awards program that honours First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievement across Turtle Island and beyond. Their stories are shared in a nationally broadcast celebration that showcases the diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada. She is passionate about volunteering and advocacy and has served as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for Roots Community Food Centre where she led the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion sub-committee, and has recently joined the Faye Peterson House as a Board Director.

Dr. Lesperance, whose spirit name, Ojiichaagobishinkwe refers to reflections in water, is originally from Lake Helen Reserve 53A, in Red Rock First Nation, Ontario. She descends from the wolf and bear clans and currently resides in Neebing, Ontario with her partner and two children.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Lesperance to our organization.

December 5th is recognized as International Volunteer Day, a global celebration that recognizes the contributions and positive impacts of volunteers in all areas of society. Each year, International Volunteer Day is an opportunity for all of us to raise awareness of the work of volunteers, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts, and recognize volunteer contributions at local, national and international levels.

Volunteers play an integral role at our Hospital. They lend their time and skills to support clients and improve lives across the organization. We would like to take this opportunity to offer a heartfelt “Thank You” to our dedicated volunteers. Our volunteer programs could not be a reality without the ongoing support of staff and managers – thank you for enabling our volunteers to make a difference in providing Patient and Family Centred Care at our Hospital.

It’s time for this month’s tip from Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s (TBRHSC) Paediatric Healthy Living Program:

Try substituting meat or dairy products for plant-based protein when preparing your next meal or snack. Examples include legumes like beans, peas and lentils, nuts or seeds, nut or seed butter and tofu. Plant-based protein foods are higher in fibre and lower in saturated fat than other types of protein foods, which can be beneficial for your heart health. For a healthy snack try oven-roasted chickpeas, trail mix, hummus with fresh vegetables or peanut butter on a banana.

For more resources on healthy living or to learn more about TBRHSC’s Paediatric Healthy Living Program, please visit our website at https://bit.ly/Paediatric-Healthy-Living-Program

Shared on on behalf of Wayne Taylor, Director Cardiovascular, Medicine and Renal Services

---

I am pleased to announce that Matthew Shonosky has accepted the full-time permanent position of Manager, 2C Cardiovascular & Regional Stroke Unit, Outpatient Vascular Services.

Matthew has been the Interim Manager of 2C and Outpatient Vascular Services since 2020 and effective Monday, December 5, 2022, will officially take on the role in a permanent capacity.

Matthew has worked at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre since 2011. He started at the hospital as a registered nurse on 2C before transitioning to the roles of Utilization Coordinator for 2C and the Transitional Care Unit (TCU), as well as acting Manager for the TCU. From there he took on the role of Manager of 2A Medicine, the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) and Telemedicine before taking on the leadership role as Interim Manager of 2C Cardiovascular & Regional Stroke Unit, Outpatient Vascular Services.

Over the years Matthew has successfully collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to ensure positive results that have improved staff satisfaction and ensured high quality care and experiences of our patients and their families. In this new position Matt’s continued focus on accountability and commitment to quality care will be a valuable asset to the teams he supports while staying true to our vision, mission and values.

Please join us in welcoming Matthew to his new role.

Hello, Boozhou, Bonjour,

I want to begin by acknowledging today is ‘Giving Tuesday’ and to thank the many of you who improve the patient experience by giving back through donations to the Foundation or through donating to the patient clothing cupboard. These gestures, no matter how big or small, make big impacts when it comes to the patient experience. No matter how or when you give please know it all impacts patient care and provides a more positive experience. Thank you to all who give back and know that your donations and extra efforts always make a difference. Thank you for going that extra mile.

Emergency Department (ED) Atmosphere

As you know, we have one of the busiest EDs in the province. Last week our ED averaged 228 patients a day and for the month prior, 273 patients with a peak of 307 patients. While I anticipate we will continue to be extremely busy over the next few months, I also recognize that overall, our organization and our Emergency Department is significantly busier than it has been throughout the last few years. The challenges of our clinical environment can often be stressful for all individuals. If the patient can have a better waiting experience and the environment is more receptive and pleasing, then we will likely get a better patient history and have a better staff interaction also. So, with that said, I am pleased to announce that we are making improvements to our ED that will provide a better environment for those who are working there and for patients using our ED for care. Initial improvements will be geared to improving our triage area and having an expanded registration area to streamline the intake process.  Providing these upgrades will allow for a more private and safe area for patients and provide a better environment for both staff and patients. Having a better clinical atmosphere adds to a better patient experience, while also contributing to a better work environment. 

Reducing Surgical Wait Times

Throughout COVID-19 we have seen Ontario hospital surgical wait lists and wait times increase considerably due to decreased hospital capacity and other factors impacting referral patterns. Longer wait times are happening across a range of different surgical categories and conditions. These delays can create serious consequences and lead to poor outcomes and experience. Although there may not be any single strategy to fix a long waiting list, I am pleased to inform that a review of our activities under the oversight of Dr. LeFrancois and the surgical team has led to a reduction in long-waiting cases by 35%. The review and data clean-up in consultation with surgeons has resulted in patients having their surgeries done sooner and thus creating a better patient experience. 

Contributions to Clinical Psychology

Some fantastic news to share with you. Dr. Christopher Mushquash, our Vice President of Research at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and Chief Scientist at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI), was part of the team awarded the 2022 Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Clinical Section Award for clinical excellence for their work developing the Best Practices in Psychology Portal. The portal is an online hub for psychologists and trainees in psychology across Canada. The portal connects research and practice by providing the latest evidence-based resources, information, and tools. Dr. Mushquash contributed to the development of a video resource discussing considerations for when applying evidence-based psychological practice with Indigenous people. Being part of something like this is truly a reflection of going above the call of duty to contribute to a better patient experience for First Nations peoples and our rural and northern communities. 

It Takes All of Us

This month there were many professions and teams recognized for their various contributions such as  Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Kinesiologists, Medical Radiation Technologists, Genetic Counsellors and Portering teams to name a few. Together these groups and professions work towards our shared vision and mission and our goals and priorities cannot be met without each and every one of us. We know that excellent care is not provided in a vacuum, and all contribute to the overall patient experience. I am choosing this month to reflect on the importance of the seemingly simple things that add to a better experience to the patients we serve. Such things as making eye contact and introducing ourselves prior to treating a patient, communicating empathy or actively listening are all simple gestures of care. The patient experience is a big part of delivering quality and compassionate care and truly great people and teams care about what they are doing. 

Final Thoughts

I began this blog by talking about ‘Giving Tuesday’ and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the Foundation’s 50/50 draw in December is a guaranteed minimum jackpot of $1 MILLION DOLLARS! There are also $50,000 in Early Bird Prizes throughout December. The funds raised will be going towards improving care and services in our Emergency Department. Please spread the word!

Finally, I have to say it’s hard to believe it has been two years since being appointed as President and CEO. I’d like to say thank you to everyone for their hard work, dedication and support. Please know that you are appreciated, and I am proud to call all of you colleagues. 

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have comments on this blog or connect with me for any other matter. You can reach me at:  rhonda.ellacott@tbh.net.

Our Departmental Features are being run monthly, up to our Employee Recognition Week (February 26 to March 3, 2023). This initiative aligns with our Hospital’s strategic priority of Staff Experience, by recognizing and celebrating the work that our staff are doing every day. To see past Departments of the Month, please visit the Employee Recognition Week page of the intranet. This month we are looking at the Maternal Newborn/Labour & Delivery department.

---

As the only level 2C centre in Northwestern Ontario, TBRHSC’s Labour & Delivery department offers 24/7 labour augmentation (when indicated), continuous external fetal monitoring and timely access to caesarean sections. We receive many clinically complex referrals, both locally and from our regional partners. Despite the workload and complexity, we have exceeded the provincial vaginal birth rate for the past 10 years straight. Our Vaginal Birth After Caesarean Quality Standard data shows our team has also achieved an 86% success rate, and we are currently the highest ranked Ontario Health region in the province for exclusive breastfeeding from birth to discharge.

During the pandemic chaos, our staff continued to support our birthing parents during one of their most meaningful yet vulnerable life transitions. At a time when birthing without an essential care partner was the new normal, our staff, professional staff and leadership all maintained a compassionate approach to ensure our birthing patients were supported throughout and had a loved one by their side. The care and dedication of our nursing staff, midwives and physicians is what contributed to this accomplishment.

Staff that work in these areas have a passion for Women’s Health. They strive to serve their patients and go above and beyond the call. They continually put the safety of the department first and in doing so also take care of one another. Whether it is the comradery seen on the floor, or the birthday and/or retirement messages that beautify the Maternal Newborn nursing station glass, we are all a family.

As quoted from a staff member, “It’s amazing that I still love what I do, after all these years – we have a great team here!”

Fun fact: Obstetrical services at TBRHSC have seen an incredible 1,196 births so far this year.