Join Lakehead University’s Indigenous Initiatives team Tuesday November 8, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for the opening of the Indigenous Veterans Day exhibit. The opening ceremony is taking place at Lakehead University Agora or via live Zoom.
Radialis will manufacture new devices in Thunder Bay.
Everyone who buys a Thunder Bay 50/50 ticket in the month of October will be contributing to a piece of Thunder Bay history. That’s because half of all proceeds will go directly to breast cancer including the new Radialis unit, a revolutionary alternative to X-ray mammography that was developed and will be manufactured right here in Thunder Bay.
Dr. Alla Reznik and her team have worked for about ten years developing this new technology from scratch. The technology detects breast cancer tumours using molecular imaging. That’s a much more precise and efficient method of diagnosing breast cancer for women who have dense breast tissue, which is about half of all women. And, it does all this without painful compression of the breast during imaging.
Radialis was not designed to replace mammography, but instead provide an alternative for those women who need it.
“Mammography saves lives. Mammography is the gold standard in detecting breast cancer. But mammography is efficient only for 50% of all women,” Dr. Reznik said. “For those women for whom mammography is not efficient, we need to offer another detection tool.”
Mammography is what Dr. Reznik called an indirect cancer detection tool – one that detects cancers based on expected density differences between a tumour and breast tissue. Tumours can be missed in some women because there isn’t enough contrast in the X-ray mammography between dense breast tissue and dense tumour tissue. Further, false positives or questionable results can trigger a number of other treatments and tests that can be painful and stressful. That’s something Dr. Reznik saw happen to a close friend.
“(The results she received were) suspicious but inconclusive,” she said. Thankfully, a biopsy revealed her friend didn’t have cancer. However with Radialis, she wouldn’t have needed a biopsy at all. Women who experience these painful tests after false positives are less likely to get mammograms in the future. “I don’t want anybody to experience false-positive results.”
Radialis can also be used to monitor treatments earlier and more effectively, allowing doctors to try something different if the initial treatment isn’t working.
“This is very much aligned with personalized medicine,” Dr. Reznik said. “It’s a game changer.”
The first round of clinical trials has already successfully completed at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto with a second round about to begin. Clinical trials are planned to start in Thunder Bay in April 2023 to test how well the unit can be used for monitoring certain breast cancer treatments. Dr. Reznik said that she is also in discussions with other hospitals including one in the United States to build systems.
Radialis has received FDA clearance and will begin manufacturing its molecular imaging units right here in Thunder Bay. That has always been an important goal for Dr. Reznik and her team, she said.
“If we just sell our technology to a manufacturer, then the manufacturing will be moved out of Thunder Bay. But we are committed to our region and even if Radialis is at some point purchased by a larger company, manufacturing will stay in Thunder Bay.”
Some of the proceeds of October’s Thunder Bay 50/50 draw will go directly to building prototypes needed for testing and clinical trials including purchasing component parts.
“Every ticket you buy will help fund research that will benefit hundreds of patients in Thunder Bay with a direct way to diagnose breast cancer and a direct way to follow up with their treatment,” Dr. Reznik said.
You can help make Thunder Bay medical history! Buy your Thunder Bay 50/50 tickets and see what this month’s jackpot is up to at: ThunderBay5050.ca
Thunder Bay has become a centre of world-class urology care in a very short time. In fact, Thunder Bay is one of a handful of centres for certain prostate and kidney stone procedures. These include holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and kidney stone treatments with the holmium MOSES laser and a trilogy lithotriptor.
All three treatments offer advancements that can greatly reduce side effects, the risk of side effects, and recovery time during their respective procedures.
However, the waitlist for patients from outside of Thunder Bay for these procedures is growing. That’s why Dr. Hazem Elmansy, program director, and Dr. Walid Shahrour are taking time from their busy schedules to train other urologists in these techniques through NOSM’s first fellowship program.
“We are overbooked with fellowships until 2026,” Dr. Elmansy said. “Our last fellow was from Saskatchewan. On the first day, he saw procedures he’d never seen before.”
Although training obviously takes time up front, it pays dividends down the road. Dr. Elmansy’s vision is to train as many other urologists as possible on these procedures so that more urology patients across Canada can get these vastly superior treatments sooner.
“We are interviewing many urologists, because we need this technology across Canada as well,” Dr. Elmansy said. “My goal is that we will take one Canadian and one international fellow at a time.”
The team in Thunder Bay takes a holistic approach to training these fellows. “We don’t graduate clinical fellows as clinicians only,” he said. “We graduate them as clinicians, as researchers, and as leaders.”
That way, Dr. Elmansy said, they can go out into their own practices and advance new techniques with their own research.
You can help grow our world-class urology program! The Urology Fund at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation helps ensure we can maintain and upgrade the cutting-edge technology we have here. Your donation today will impact thousands of patients in Northwestern Ontario with a range of urological conditions using treatments not always available elsewhere. Please visit healthsciencesfoundation.ca/donate or call our Donation Centre at (807) 345-4673. Thank you!
To honour Canadian Patient Safety Week, Quality and Risk Management (QRM) is highlighting some of the many compliments submitted by patients and their families that celebrate staff, teams, units, or areas within our Hospital. As our Hospital is dedicated to improving patient experience, patients and families are encouraged to submit compliments and concerns based on their hospital journey. Submissions can be made through TBRHSC’s website, through one of the comment boxes, by calling or emailing QRM, or via mail.
Below are three examples of the great work highlighted directly from patients’ experience at our Hospital (please note – information provided in submission was altered to protect privacy).
Submitted August 2022: “We were visiting family in Thunder Bay on vacation and are from Toronto. My daughter tripped and split her lip requiring a visit to the ED for care. I am writing to tell you how impressed I was at the care received, from the registration to discharge. Every person we encountered was lovely and caring. The nurses who cared for my daughter were patient and attentive and did everything they could to make her less scared and comfortable. The nurse responsible for the bed next to us was so caring and empathetic to all the patients she cared for. I have never been more impressed with care at any emergency department in the Province. The ED physician who saw and treated my daughter provided wonderful care, in addition to the specialist who completed sutures. They both made a really difficult situation so much better.
I wanted to let you know that the care provided to us surpassed any experience I had ever had before.Thank you to everyone for their care.”
Submitted August 2022: “I gave birth to my son in the summer. My nurses for my stay on 1C provided care that was genuine and sincere. They truly cared about the well being of me and my son. My first nurse welcomed me to the floor once I arrived after visiting my son in the NICU, which was a stressful and unexpected addition to our hospital experience. She quickly put me at ease when I arrived to the floor and was very sweet and worked with efficiency displaying professionalism and confidence with her care. Having her as our night nurse on 1C helped make our hospital experience a great one.
Our day nurse was also an amazing addition to our care team. She was very professional and was able to emulate her confidence and experience in the way she spoke. She was also a very caring and genuine nurse who provided excellent patient care. When entering the room, her smile and demeanor put me at ease and made me feel welcome in my home away from home. I couldn’t have asked for a better pair of core nurses. When those two were busy, other nurses assisted me and they were also great. Thank you so much for the great hospital experience; it started out bumpy and smoothed out with the excellent care I received.”
Submitted September 2022: “Following my Portacath insertion last summer, the nurse who was on the floor while I was observed before being dispatched went above and beyond to support me emotionally. I was struggling with the compounding emotions with my cancer diagnosis/treatment as well the pain and discomfort from thePortacath insertion. The nurse checked in on me when she heard me sobbing, offering support and a hug. Her kindness and compassion was incredible… especially during COVID when the hospital settings was likely incredible stressful. The nurse that was in the room while I had the Portacath procedure was also incredible. She held my hand to comfort me and the entire team in the room was great.
Thank you again for providing having health care staff that exemplify compassion and patient centred care. During a terrifying journey and procedures, and not having an escort with me because of COVID – this type of care is extra appreciated.”
Shared on behalf of Adam Vinet, Vice President, Patient Experience, Chief Nursing Executive & Regional Vice President, Regional Cancer Care
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Wayne Taylor as the Director, Cardiovascular, Medicine & Renal Programs, effective October 31st, 2022.
Reporting to myself as the VP, Patient Experience, Chief Nursing Executive & Regional Vice President, Regional Cancer Care, Wayne will be responsible as the administrative leader for the Cardiovascular, Medicine and Renal Program which includes the Cardiac Cath Lab, Pacemaker Clinics, Visiting Specialty Clinics, Cardiac Diagnostics and Rehabilitation, Vascular services and the regional Stroke program. Additionally, through this role Wayne will function as both the Regional Director, Ontario Renal Network and clinical project sponsor for the Cardiovascular Surgery project.
Many of you know, and have worked with Wayne since he started with us in 2004 as a RN in Critical Care Services and has advanced through the organization to hold the positions of Quality Clinical Practice Coordinator & Practice Lead and Manager, 2C Cardiovascular & Regional Stroke Unit. More recently, many of you have worked with Wayne in his seconded role of Clinical Lead for the Cardiovascular Surgery Project in September 2020 until present and was also the Interim Director, Cardiovascular Program from December 2021-June 2022.
Wayne’s accomplishments range from improving the patient experience and quality improvements in care, to program development, the management of a major capital project, to collaboration at both the regional and provincial level. He is well respected throughout the organization as a thoughtful, collaborative leader who fosters strong relationships with both internal and external partners. He values the diversity and unique perspectives of those he works with and has been instrumental in enhancing patient care.
Please join me in congratulating Wayne and wishing him well in his new role.
We are deeply saddened at the passing of Joey Deschamps. Joey has been a compassionate and dedicated volunteer with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre since 2018 in the Hospital Elder Life Program and the Wayfinding Service. He will be missed, and we join his family and friends in remembering him.
With overwhelming sadness, the family of Joey (Joseph) Daniel Deschamps announces his sudden passing on October 13th, 2022 at the young age of 21. Joey was a caring, kind-hearted, compassionate and overall amazing young man.
Joey had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, especially the Sciences, graduating with top marks and numerous academic awards from École Secondaire de la Vérendrye. He was attending Lakehead University with a goal of a career in medicine. He was also the proud recipient of research grants. He had a philanthropic spirit, giving of himself by volunteering for numerous community organizations such as the TBRHSC, committees at LU, ALS Society of Canada and many more. Joey also worked and volunteered with Francophone cultural agencies where he shared his passion and pride for his Francophone heritage. Other personal interests included his love of art, music, reading and his precious pets Phoebe and Floppy.
He loved his family and friends deeply and will be missed immensely by his family: his parents Michael and Nicole (Landry) Deschamps, sister Laura (KC Boismier), grand-parents Donald and Elizabeth (Gubbels) Deschamps, and Jean-Baptiste & Marie-Ange (Legault) Landry, aunts Diane (Paul) Tremblay, Denise (Randy Russell) Landry, Chantal (Gilles) Valiquette, his cousins Karyne, Manon, and Eric Valiquette, and many loving extended family members. He will also be dearly missed by his numerous close friends, especially Emma and Danielle, as well as neighbours and families who had the privilege of knowing him and welcoming him into their lives.
Please remember good thoughts of Joey and keep him in your heart so that his spirit can live on. May you rest in eternal peace our precious baby boy, Joey.
The family would like to extend their thanks and gratitude to their family and friends who have provided support during this unimaginable time. In lieu of flowers, donations towards a commemorative bench would be appreciated. Please see ‘Go Fund Me’ link: https://gofund.me/77978b1c
A Celebration of Joey’s life will take place on Tuesday, November 1st, at Goods and Co. (251 Red River Rd.-old Eaton building) from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Words of tribute will commence at 6:30 p.m. Family and friends are welcome to share a special moment they had with Joey or how they knew him. A small gathering will also be held in Sudbury at a later date for family and friends who are unable to travel.https://www.arbormemorial.ca/harbourview/obituaries/joey-deschamps/93434.
Congratulations to Keli Cristofaro, who won a gift certificate for submitting a nomination for the iCare Impact Awards! Winners are being drawn monthly until the end of the year.
Canadian Patient Safety Week is October 24 – 28, 2022. The theme from Healthcare Excellence Canada this year is ‘Press play on Safety Conversations’ which focuses on safer care of older adults through safety conversations and actions.
Healthcare Excellence Canada has provided information and resources to highlight the importance of this year’s Canadian Patient Safety Week theme:
What are safety conversations? Safety conversations are part of a proactive approach to creating safety as well as responding to and managing harm after it occurs. They are a respectful discussion about safety between two or more people involved in organizing, delivering, seeking, and/or receiving healthcare, including healthcare providers, patients and essential care partners.
Why have safety conversations? Safety conversations can help you gain more information about the care being discussed and/or provided. Having conversations with patients and essential care partners illuminates how they see, experience and contribute to creating safety. These conversations promote an understanding that staff and patient safety go hand-in-hand and recognize the value of creating safety together. Evidence confirms that organizations with a positive safety culture have less harm, and safety conversations help strengthen this culture.
How to have safety conversations When we have safety conversations, it changes the way we think about safety. These conversations help us shift away from a focus on past harm to a more holistic view of safety. By moving from assurance and accountability reporting to a ‘practice of inquiry’ that places value on soft intelligence (listening, observing and perceiving), we empower a culture of collective responsibility for safety. The steps outlined below can help you plan and carry-out effective safety conversation.
Step 1: Make it safe to talk safety. Create an environment that allows everyone to say what they think Step 2: Ask. Safety conversations are built around the practice of asking questions Step 3: Listen. Listen to and learn from patients and loved ones; acknowledge them as experts in their care Step 4: Act. Regularly engage with patients, essential care partners and other loved ones as core members of the care team and co-create solutions with them Step 5: Keep having safety conversations (not just one). Communicate to patients and essential care partners about who to contact if they have concerns or questions
For full details, visit here, or see attached PDF.
