We understand that coming to the Emergency Department can be a stressful experience, but please ensure you are conducting yourself in a respectful manner.
Our staff are here to help you. All forms of violence, aggression, intimidation, threats or verbal abuse including swearing, yelling, and verbal or physical threats will not be tolerated. You may be asked to leave by staff, security or police if you are behaving inappropriately.
Shared on behalf of Jennifer Wintermans, VP, Quality and Corporate Affairs, Incident Manager
Effective July 21st, the Incident Management Team (IMT) has been deactivated after managing our Hospital’s COVID-19 response throughout the last year, as per our Incident Management System (IMS).
This decision was made as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves into a more manageable state, and as the organization is more prepared to embed COVID-19 activities into our organizational structure.
As we move to a more sustainable response to COVID-19, this means that any requests for COVID-19 operational changes or considerations for changes in COVID-19 related activities, will be required to be vetted through your portfolios’ respective VP and no longer through the IMT branches.
We know that COVID-19 will continue to require ongoing monitoring and shifts in operational needs throughout the foreseeable future, and we will continue to assess against any new developments and follow Ministry of Health guidelines. At this time, all existing hospital protective measures (ex. Mandatory masking) will continue to be in place. Our internal Pandemic Response Level will remain at Yellow (Protect)) with ongoing assessment. As well, the reactivation of the Incident Management Team will be mobilized again if required.
Moving forward, no new Guidance Documents will be created and all COVID-19 related information that needs to move into a formal document will follow the existing process for Policies, Procedures and Standard Operating Practices.
COVID-19 information and supportive resources will continue to be available on the on the iNtranet at https://comms.tbrhsc.net/covid-19-information/ until further notice.
Any questions can be directed through to your Manager and addressed. Thank you for your support and cooperation.
Hello, Boozhou, Bonjour,
Despite it being summer, there’s been a lot going on the past few weeks that I felt was worthy of a summertime blog to all of you to keep everyone current.
Accreditation Update
Some of you may have seen the earlier internal memo, but I wanted to start this month’s blog with an update on the exciting news surrounding our Hospital accreditation.
For the first time in our history, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) has achieved Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada. This is not an easy achievement at the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic. You all should be proud of the work you have done to reach this level of achievement. As well, be proud that you have continued to sustain providing safe and quality care throughout the last few years, amidst the extra burden that COVID-19 has presented. I am proud of our entire team. There hasn’t been much to celebrate the past two-plus years, but this is one of those moments. This award is the highest level awarded to organizations going through the Accreditation process and the result of our collective commitment to providing our patients with safe, high-quality care.
The assessment process used by Accreditation Canada utilizes a rigorous process to review our operations against world class evidence-based standards of safety and effective care. Having worked closely with you and seeing your commitment first-hand during the challenges of a global pandemic, I am not surprised we have achieved this level of accreditation. It is reassuring to know that our quality and standards have, in fact, continued to see improvements and our commitment to safe and effective care is evident. Thank you for your exceptional effort and commitment to quality and safety. I am incredibly proud of the teamwork and accomplishments of each and every one of you.
To celebrate this success, and in appreciation for the exceptional work you do each and every day, next month we will celebrate together with ice cream and other giveaways — in appreciation for your ongoing commitment to quality and safety. Details on these celebrations will be communicated in the next week.
Violence in the Workplace
Not unlike other hospitals, we are also experiencing increased and unacceptable patterns of violence and abuse. We have responded by increasing the presence of our security within the Hospital at all times including the Emergency Department (ED). We have dramatically increased our security efforts and added police presence. We have added 13 new security positions and now have a total of 46 full-time equivalent security roles at TBRHSC. We have four security personnel in the ED at all times. We have also increased our presence by collaborating with local police to hire two police officers to have on-site during our busiest times of the day. As well, we are providing additional security during times that our past experiences show the level of violent incidents may be higher. I know this won’t solve all of our problems, but it’s a solid start. We continue to monitor and assess our needs to adapt our services and ensure our environment is safe. As well, our Workplace Violence Prevention Committee continues to work on strategies to improve the overall safety of the ED and our Hospital as a whole. In the meantime, please know that no level of violence is acceptable in the workplace. We hope you feel a difference in your workday with the implementation of some of these strategies. We have more work to do but we will get there.
Cellular Network Outage
As you all likely know, on July 8 we experienced an unprecedented cellular network outage that created a need to establish some quick and creative ways to manage some of our operational supports to ensure clinical services were not compromised. Our staff and professional staff were amazing and did some excellent work in a short period of time to combat the effects of the cellular outage. Thank you for all your extra work and support to these activities. Once again, you have excelled in your dedication to ensure we provide exceptional care, for every patient every time.
Vaccination Update
As of last week, the Ontario government is allowing anyone over the age of 18 to get their 2nd booster vaccine. At the same time, it is encouraging people who got their first two vaccines but not the 1st booster, to consider doing so right away as it is proven to help lower the probability of getting COVID-19. I would like to echo that sentiment with all of you as I know some have not received their 1st booster and we are currently experiencing an uptick in cases. Additionally, children aged six months to under five will now be able to receive their first dose, which will further protect us and our families. As you may know, the region we serve has some of the highest per capita rates of COVID-19 cases in Ontario – and those people are counting on us to be there for them when they need us. Details can be found here.
Final Thoughts
I would like to wrap things up by ending where I started – and that’s with our accreditation standing. While I know it may seem like boring bureaucratic talk, please understand that this third-party assessment is the most independent and non-partisan assessment of the job we all do here at TBRHSC. And, to receive the highest possible accreditation for the first time in our Hospital’s history at a challenging time like this is truly a reflection of your professionalism and the job you do serving our communities. So, take a bow and raise a glass for a job well done.
Please try to enjoy some downtime this summer when you get it and know that you are always welcome to comment on this blog or connect with me for any other matter. You can reach me at: rhonda.ellacott@tbh.net.
Why a Patient Clothing Cupboard?
Every day, nurses, social workers, and other employees of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) make regular visits to the Patient Clothing Cupboard to find clean, new, or gently used clothing for patients in need.
Patients are expected to provide their own clothing for discharge. However, there are situations when this may not be possible. The Patient Clothing Cupboard exists to provide suitable clothing for a patient to wear upon discharge in situations where the patient/family is unable to provide the necessary clothing, i.e. underwear, foot wear, socks, tops and bottoms. We are grateful to the two dedicated volunteers who sort through the clothing donations and keep the cupboard tidy and organized.
Where is it? How can I access it for a patient?
The Patient Clothing Cupboard is located on Level 2 in the ER/DI Hallway Room 2632. Employees can access the Cupboard by getting the key from Main Security and Security in the ED.
How is it funded?
The Patient Clothing Cupboard is funded in very small part by the Volunteer Association to TBRHSC through funds raised through Seasons Gift Shop. But we rely on the generosity of employees who donate new underwear and socks, as well as new or gently used items that are easy to put on, i.e. T-shirts, sweatshirts, jogging suits, pants with elasticized waistbands.
If you have any questions about the clothing cupboard or would like to make a donation, please contact Volunteer Services at 6267 or Donna.Jeanpierre@tbh.net.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support of the Patient Clothing Cupboard!
In a multi-site study funded by the Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund, scientists discovered a clue into the cause of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS), also known as long-COVID.
Led by Grace Parraga, Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair at Western University, researchers used novel lung imaging techniques to investigate gas exchange in the lungs of people suffering from long-COVID. This exploratory study used hyperpolarized xenon-129 magnetic resonance imaging (HP 129Xe MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans to visualize the flow of oxygen through the lungs and where it is blocked.
The use of the HP 129Xe MRI technology is based on the technique co-invented by Mitchell Albert, Lakehead University—Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute Research Chair in Molecular Imaging and Advanced Diagnostics. As a graduate student at The State University of New York at Stony Brook, Albert co-invented this powerful diagnostic technology that allows you to see how the lungs are functioning in real time. Since then it has been applied to several important biomedical areas, including this study.
“It’s really gratifying to see that after 25 years, our invention now is turning out to be important in the use of discovering what is happening in patients with post-acute COVID-19,” says Albert. “Not a lot is known about long-COVID yet. People have these lingering symptoms lasting months and months, and no one really understands why this is. This study starts to shed light on what is happening in the lungs, what the problem is, and the fact that there is indeed a physical problem.”
Albert is referring to the fact that for people with long-COVID can suffer from symptoms including shortness of breath, brain fog and fatigue, where traditional methods of assessing the lungs (i.e. pulmonary function tests, CT scans, chest x-rays) may not indicate there is an issue in the lungs. Using HP 129Xe MRI changes that.
“You can think about hyperpolarized xenon like a tracer that allows you to see how the gas behaves within the lungs. So by using the HP 129Xe, we are able to trace the pulmonary gas exchange and literally see how oxygen is transferred into the bloodstream,” explains Yurii Shepelytskyi, post-doctoral researcher in Albert’s lab. “In this study, we looked at post-acute COVID-19 syndrome to see how the gas transfer changes in subjects who had COVID-19 and who were previously hospitalized over those people not hospitalized. We found that the amount of gas transferred into the blood is significantly smaller in subjects who had COVID-19, indicating a gas transfer impairment.”
Albert’s team at Lakehead University / Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute is one of five sites conducting research for this study. In this collaborative study, the impaired pulmonary transfer has been correlated to pulmonary vascular changes detected by CT scanning. This initial discovery is important as in order to develop treatment options for patients with long-COVID, the source of the issue must be identified.
“Next steps are to continue the research and follow up with the patients to determine if they have fully recovered, or if their symptoms persist. This information will be useful to health care providers to provide guidelines for treating patients with long-COVID,” says Albert. “We are very excited to be a part of this groundbreaking study that will help people all across the province and beyond. Thank you to TBRHRI for allowing us use of the 3T MRI, and to Lakehead University for providing seed funding that allows us to do this incredible work right here in Northwestern Ontario. Finally, I am grateful to the Ministry of Health for making this research possible and to Grace Parraga, the study leader, for inviting us to participate.”
Shared on behalf of Daniel Horne, Manager of Clinical Research Services
In line with the directions of Strategic Plan 2026 for Research Innovation & Learning, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute are pleased to announce the transition to an electronic research administration and application system called ROMEO Research Portal on August 8, 2022.
Please see the below list of upcoming important dates to be aware of:
• July 29, 2022: This is the deadline to submit any hard copy new applications or continuing review forms (annual re-approvals, amendments, etc.) to the Research Ethics & Authorization office. Any submissions received prior to this date will be processed and reviewed according to standard procedure.
• July 30 – August 7, 2022: During this period, the Research Ethics & Authorization Office will not be accepting any submissions to allow us to transition any remaining data to the new electronic system.
• August 8, 2022: The ROMEO Research Portal will go live on this date and be available through the ZENworks application and REB website. All current researchers will be emailed a Registration Notification prompting them to confirm registration as an investigator in the Research Portal. This will allow you to view and submit any available forms within the Research Portal and access all active projects you are listed on as a project team member, Co-Investigator, or Principal Investigator.
Note: All active projects have been assigned a new 6-digit ROMEO File Number which will replace the REB tracking number (REB XXXXXXX) and Research Program numbers (RP-XXX) for new and existing projects. Please use this number going forward when referencing a project.
Training Sessions for Researchers
These sessions will be intended to introduce researchers to the new platform and serve as an open forum to ask any questions about the system. Individual training can also be scheduled by contacting the Research Ethics & Authorization Coordinator, Statton.Eade@tbh.net.
Open training sessions will be held via WebEx for researchers on the following dates:
July 28, 2022, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM: Click here for meeting link
August 4, 2022, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Click here for meeting link
August 11, 2022, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM: Click here for meeting link
August 16, 2022 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Click here for meeting link
On Thursday, July 28, 2022, parents and caregivers of children aged six months to under five years will be able to book appointments for the paediatric COVID-19 vaccine. Immunocompromised youth aged 12 to 17 will also become eligible to schedule their second booster dose (fifth dose) if at least six months have passed since their first booster (fourth dose).
Over the next several days, paediatric vaccines are being distributed across the province and will be available through public health unit clinics, as well as participating paediatricians, primary care providers and pharmacies. Starting July 28, appointments will be available through the COVID-19 vaccination portal and the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre, directly through public health units using their own booking system, participating primary care providers and paediatricians, as well as at participating pharmacies and Indigenous-led vaccination clinics.
For more information, please see the full news release.
Shared on behalf of Infection Prevention and Control
An outbreak of COVID-19 has been declared on 1A Medical and Acute Oncology Unit as of July 20, 2022. All restrictions are in place.
Please share this information with the appropriate staff.
As always, our number one priority is the safety of patients and their families, staff and visitors. All patients identified as having an exposure to this outbreak will require isolation with appropriate additional precautions.
The department of Infection Prevention and Control encourages everyone to keep applying the routine practices of hand hygiene, proper use of PPE, equipment cleaning, and the appropriate admission screening of all patients. Please set an example for staff and students and assist us by maintaining compliance and due diligence.
For more information, please contact Infection Prevention and Control at 684-6094.
Media Release
For the first time in the Hospital’s history, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is among a group of select hospitals in Canada to receive the highest possible designation from Accreditation Canada, ‘Accredited with Exemplary Standing’. Exemplary Standing is Accreditation Canada’s highest designation and is awarded to an organization that has gone beyond the requirements of the accreditation program, demonstrating excellence in quality improvements.
“I am proud of our staff, professional staff and volunteers for their ongoing efforts to ensure safe and quality care is always at the forefront of their work,” said Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO of TBRHSC and CEO of Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. “The past couple of years have been a challenge with the pandemic, yet everyone continued to demonstrate they are committed to excellence in providing care.”
Accreditation Canada surveyors visited TBRHSC from May 15-19, 2022, to conduct an on-site assessment of the Hospital’s leadership, governance, clinical programs and services against a rigorous set of quality and safety standards and required organizational practices. The Accreditation process involves all members of the organization, from the Board of Directors and leadership to frontline staff as well as members of the community including patients and families and community partners.
Among the many high performing areas of the Hospital, the surveyors took special note of TBRHSC’s commitment to improving health care for Indigenous people, and ongoing work focusing on patient and family centred care. As well, community collaborations with both academic institutions and health care providers, where partnerships work together to address challenges, was recognized as a strength.
“This is an outstanding display of commitment and a reflection of the Hospital’s dedication to ongoing improvement,” said TBRHSC Board Chair Gord Wickham. “Quality and safety are extremely important to everyone at TBRHSC and that is very good news for the people and communities we serve.”
TBRHSC met 100 per cent of the Required Organizational Practices, which address high-risk areas in health care and are categorized into six safety areas: Safety Culture, Communication, Medication Use, Infection Control, Worklife/Workforce and Risk Assessment. The Hospital’s overall compliance rating resulted in 99.19 per cent.
“This is the highest survey score TBRHSC has ever received,” said Jennifer Wintermans, VP, Quality and Corporate Affairs. “Quality health care matters and the survey challenged us to meet national standards of excellence and working to continually improve the quality and safety of our services.”
Over the next few months, TBRHSC will be working to address the recommendations made by the accreditation surveyors.
Shared on behalf of Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO, TBRHSC and CEO, TBRHRI
I would like to take a moment to congratulate all of you for an exciting accomplishment – a first-ever achievement for Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC). With your help and dedication, TBRHSC earned ‘Accredited with Exemplary Standing’ from Accreditation Canada during our on-site survey that took place May 15-19, 2022. This award is the highest level awarded to organizations going through the Accreditation process and the result of our collective commitment to providing our patients with safe, high-quality care.
The assessment process used by Accreditation Canada utilizes a rigorous progress to review our processes against world class evidence-based standards of safety and effective care. Having worked closely with you and seeing your commitment first-hand during the challenges of a global pandemic, I am not surprised we have achieved this level of accreditation. It is reassuring to know that our quality and standards have, in fact, continued to see improvements and our commitment to safe and effective care is evident.
Thank you for your exceptional effort and commitment to quality and safety. I am incredibly proud of the teamwork and accomplishments of each and every one of you.
To celebrate this success, we will be providing small tokens of our appreciation for the exceptional work you do each and every day. In August we will celebrate together with ice cream and other giveaways. Details will be shared once dates and locations are finalized.
Congratulations once again on this historic achievement.