Our Hospital celebrated Employee Recognition Week (ERW), February 27th to March 4th. The week was dedicated to celebrating the people – medical staff, employees, teams, volunteers, Patient Family Advisors, and others – who are making a difference for patients and families in Northwestern Ontario through their outstanding service and dedication.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you again for all the hard work you do. We are very eager to hear what you thought about this year’s ERW.
Chair, Board of Directors, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
We recently celebrated Employee Recognition Week at our Hospital from February 27th to March 4th. It’s a week dedicated to celebrating the people, including medical staff, employees, teams, volunteers, Patient Family Advisors, and others – who are making a difference for patients and families in Northwestern Ontario through their outstanding service and dedication.
The Walk the Talk Awards are celebrated as part of Employee Recognition Week. With these awards, staff can nominate fellow employees to recognize their exemplary performance. After review by the Patient Family Advisors’ Committee nominations, an organization wide voting system is used to select the winners for nine different award categories. It goes without saying that every single member of our staff has ‘walked the talk’ this past year and I’d like to personally thank and congratulate them for their outstanding work.
This year, the 3B Surgical Inpatient Unit was selected winner of the Board of Directors’ Walk the Talk Award. This Unit was designated with many additional responsibilities and endured many challenges throughout the last year, but through it all, has performed in an exemplary manner under extraordinary circumstances. They supported the 3A COVID-19 Unit in February and March of 2021; they supported their own COVID-19 Unit in March 2021; and they also supported 3C when that unit had to absorb extra beds during the same month. Our Hospital has experienced significant staffing challenges and the 3B Team often worked significant overtime to support the patients and their fellow staff throughout the past year. They have remained calm and professional through all of these challenges, found ways to support one another and have embraced many new staff along the way.
The 3B Surgical Inpatient Unit team continues to amaze and inspire those around them as they navigate the trials and tribulations of looking after some of the most vulnerable patients in our community. They continue to support our patients, their families, and our community. Congratulations to the 3B Surgical Inpatient Unit, and all of the nominees and winners of this year’s Walk the Talk Awards.
Coming up later this month is National Volunteer Week (April 24-30), which is celebrated each year and offers time to reflect on the generosity of the many individuals who choose to give their time, skills, and energy to make this community better. Thank you to all of the Hospital’s Volunteers, Patient Family Advisors and Foundation volunteers. We are deeply appreciative of the support you provide to both patients and staff while contributing to patient and family centred care.
Finally, by now you are aware that the Government of Ontario dropped the mandatory mask mandate in the majority of public settings, with the exception of high-risk settings such as long-term care and health care facilities. This will not result in any changes at our Hospital and masking along with entrance screening will continue to be required to enter our Hospital and all satellite buildings. As the only intensive care provider in Northwestern Ontario, it is our responsibility to take every precaution to ensure a safe environment for every patient who requires care. These safety measures will be in place for the foreseeable future to protect those patients, our staff, and visitors. We hope you can respect the conditioned need for caution at TBRHSC.
Gord Wickham, Chair, Board of Directors, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
Between what appears to be a never-ending winter here in the Northwest and the 6th wave of COVID rolling into Ontario, “spring” hasn’t really lived up to the hype we were all hoping for, has it?
Finding our way through this pandemic has not been without its challenges. Please understand it has also been challenging for the public, most of whom don’t understand the health care system and are confused right now as many thought the pandemic is over.
Now more than ever, they need us. I know that’s a lot to put on you as it’s been a brutal two years. But I know we can do it if we continue to work as a team as you have done time and time again.
Your actions have demonstrated the power of collaboration, teamwork, commitment and an overall resilience. In recognition, the Walk the Talk President’s Award has been respectfully and honourably given to each of you in recognition of your giving, compassion, effort, and sacrifice. You will each receive your personal certificate shortly, with thanks and gratitude.
With all that said, we continue to have hope for the very near future and we need to plan for it. This pandemic has been a stress test of our health care system in the north and all of Ontario. And what we have learned is that while our people are strong at TBRHSC, our systems need retooling to prepare us for the future of health care needs in our region.
Our new Strategic Plan vision — Exceptional Care for Every Patient Every Time — gives us a sense of refocus and a new beginning. It also has us taking a deliberate and thoughtful look at our culture and the organization that we all want to be a part of.
Focusing on building and renewing our organization in support of an environment that enables you to work safely, grow and ultimately thrive is clearly an outcome focused through staff experience.
As we focus on our culture, embedding our values into our behaviors and supporting transformative change that enables us to achieve our priorities, we are reminded of the importance of protecting and supporting you…our staff.
As you know, our organization at times is host to individuals experiencing differing degrees of complexity — and as a part of care or support to our patients there are times when we are faced with disrespect, aggression and even violence. Often these situations are not easy to manage, and staff are having to deal with varying degrees of energy levels and emotions from those requiring care.
Violence prevention in the workplace is key to ensuring we can meet our directions for Strategic Plan 2026. It is crucial that we acknowledge workplace violence can occur in all areas of the organization, is unacceptable, and it needs to be addressed through a Workplace Violence Prevention Strategy with zero tolerance embedded and enforced. This is directly tied to a safe workplace as part of our Strategic Plan 2026 area of focus — Staff Experience. Many teams across the organization are working to apply best practices and initiate efforts to create meaningful change. Together we can and will advance this work.
As I wrap up with this short reconnect, there are a few housekeeping items to address.
First, please keep an eye open for the Accreditation Canada survey, happening at our Hospital on May 15-19, 2022.
And, finally, as the province has begun to rollout 2nd booster shots to Ontarians, I want to strongly encourage you to get it when you become eligible as it is scientifically proven to improve immunity against the virus. We need you.
I know I’ve been saying it for some time, but I’m never going to stop saying thank you so much for all you do, the effort and sacrifices you make for us, and your continued professionalism. Please remember how much you are valued and appreciated.
As always, I welcome comments on this blog or any other matter. You can reach me at: crockerelr@tbh.net
Baxter Canada is giving away ten $1,000 scholarships to support professional development, either through formal or informal courses/conferences. Applications are open to any Canadian RPN, RN, or NP currently practicing at a Canadian health care organization (acute care, community setting, or long-term care).
Applying is easy – applicants are required to provide their consent and contact information and tell us ‘Whats Your Why’ – (why did you become a nurse, what does your day look like, what do you want others to know about nursing, etc.). The questions can be answered however you wish.
Application is open until April 30th, 2022
The winners will be contacted on May 6th and announced on the Baxter Canada LinkedIn page the week of May 9th, 2022.
Please see the attached document to learn how to apply.
Dr. Christopher Mushquash has been appointed as Vice President, Research and Chief Scientist at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI).
The VP, Research and Chief Scientist is a member of the Senior Leadership Council (SLC) of TBRHSC and provides leadership, oversight and strategic direction to a diverse portfolio of health professionals and scientists in the area of research and development. This role also provides scientific research leadership and strategic direction for TBRHSC and TBRHRI, as well as scientific advice and expertise to SLC, the TBRHRI Executive Management Team, the Boards and other scientific committees. Dr. Mushquash will champion scientific direction at conception and through implementation of a strategic plan based on those directions, the recruitment and retention of scientific staff, and for the overall success of the research agenda.
“The research expertise that Dr. Mushquash brings to this position aligns our organizations for success,” says Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President & CEO, TBRHSC and CEO, TBRHRI. “We are confident that Dr. Mushquash will be a key driver in advancing research that supports innovation and best care for the people of Northwestern Ontario. His track record is undeniable.”
Dr. Mushquash is a Lakehead University Tier II Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, and his primary academic affiliation is as Professor in the Department of Psychology at Lakehead University. He also serves as the Director of the Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research at Lakehead University. In addition to his academic appointments, Dr. Mushquash is a Registered Clinical Psychologist providing assessment, intervention, and consultation services for First Nations children, adolescents, and adults at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care.
“Congratulations to Dr. Mushquash on his appointment as Vice President of Research and Chief Science Officer at TBRHSC and TBRHRI,” says Dr. Moira McPherson, President and Vice-Chancellor of Lakehead University. “He is an extremely accomplished researcher and will be able to provide strategic direction to the research portfolio at TBRHSC. We look forward to working with Dr. Mushquash to further research partnerships between Lakehead University and the Hospital and Health Research Institute.”
In 2017, Dr. Mushquash was inducted into the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. He is currently the vice-chair of the Institute Advisory Board for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health.
Dr. Mushquash is Ojibway and a member of Pays Plat First Nation. He is an Indigenous scholar who was born and raised in rural Northwestern Ontario. He completed his pre-doctoral residency in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba, specializing in rural and northern clinical practice and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Dalhousie University in 2011.
He has served as the Interim Executive VP Research at TBRHSC and Chief Scientist at TBRHRI since November 2021. In this new additional appointment as TBRHSC’s new Vice President, Research and Chief Scientist, Dr. Mushquash will have dual reporting to both the President & CEO of TBRHSC and the CEO of TBRHRI.
Dr. Mushquash formally began as VP Research and Chief Scientist on March 15th, 2022.
Shared on behalf of the Diagnostic Leadership team
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences (TBRHSC) implemented centralized bookings for surgery across four sites in 2017. This was followed with launching centralized intake to receive referrals for our Musculoskeletal Program in 2018. Since then, central intake has expanded to include referrals for Endoscopy, Urology, some gynecological procedures, gallbladders and hernias.
On April 11th, our Diagnostic Imaging department went live with Central Intake with Novari’s Medical Imaging Referral Management software. In Fall 2022, our Cardiovascular Program will be live for cardiac catheterization, electro-physiology, the RAVE clinic and cardiac rehabilitation.
Central Intake has been shown to reduce Wait Times by 28% – it is the model of choice used not only in health care but also in businesses such as Walmart, West Jet and Air Canada to achieve more efficient throughput.
Central intake benefits our patients by providing:
Improved access to care with a reduced wait time for surgical consultation and surgery;
Timely triage of non-surgical candidates from surgical consult appointments to enable provision of counseling on conservative management techniques;
Provision of care that is coordinated, and integrated with primary care, to ensure patient’s receive the right care from the right providers; and
Optimized wait list management for both surgical consultation and surgery through existing technology.
Care closer to home.
A one-stop shop for patients and families. This eliminates the guesswork for who to contact regarding their referral status.
Decreasing the chances of lost referrals with the traditional fax machine.
Central intake benefits our providers by:
One point of contact for referrals through centralized intake;
Patient and Primary Care Provider-centred resources;
Reducing the needed for unnecessary diagnostic imaging and other tests;
Providing increased patient satisfaction and decreased anxiety;
Potential for decrease in the prescription of narcotics by providing rapid access to specialized care;
Streamlining referral patterns through one point of access using advanced technology including eReferral direct from their EMR
Offering a shared-care model with consistent patient messaging and enhanced communication between providers
Centralized Intake Success Stories
On March 18th, the distressed wife of a patient phoned surgical central intake because her husband had been referred for a service a few days prior, however his symptoms had significantly worsened. Due to the pressing nature of the phone call and the implied urgency, the administrative clerk forwarded the file to the nurse practitioner to review. Upon investigation, some alarming symptoms were flagged as well as some missing diagnostics. This prompted the central intake Nurse Practitioner to contact both the patient and the GI specialist to conduct an impromptu consultation. As a result, the patient was immediately triaged as urgent, and was booked in for the required procedure on March 21st.
A shoulder referral patient from a Northern Community was identified through central intake as coming to Thunder Bay for MRI of her shoulder. The Central Intake team was able to arrange for same day X-ray and same day consult with the Advanced Practice Clinician (APC) at our Rapid Access Clinic in order to: minimize travel, provide hands on assessment, and review the patient’s exercises to aid in determining if surgical consult was required. Once the imaging was resulted, the central intake team provided timely telephone follow up to discuss next steps in the patient’s plan of care.
Another patient from the region was identified through triage and telephone consult as requiring timely assessment for their shoulder. We were able to arrange APC and surgeon consultation same day and patient consented for a high priority surgical repair.
The APC working at the TBRHSC Rapid Access Clinic was reviewing a hip x-ray from a new referral on a patient from Fort Frances. Severe arthritis was noted with the risk for an impending fracture. The APC knew that an orthopaedic surgeon was working at Riverside Healthcare in Fort Frances that day. A same day consult was arranged and surgery was expedited.
The spine APC was reviewing a referral for a regional patient and flagged some concerning symptoms. The APC organized an in person consultation and an MRI within days with the support of the Orthopaedic Surgeon. The patient was then referred to the spine surgeon on call who was a neurosurgeon. From referral to surgery took 5 days. The patient had a spine tumour removed and has made a full recovery. He is now coaching his kids sports team and is back to referring himself.
During the pandemic, our central intake team pivoted effortlessly to the provision of virtual consults. We have minimized or eliminated the need for travel while continuing to provide care for our patients during lockdowns. Our team receives compliments from patients and providers regarding our provision of timely access to care, how well information has been communicated, and that the entire team has provided high quality patient centred care.
Congratulations to our own Dr. Teresa Bruni, a Paediatrician and Medical Director for the Women and Children’s program at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, who has been selected as this year’s Distinguished Community Pediatrician by the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) for 2022. The Distinguished Community Paediatrician Award was established in 1999 to recognize a colleague(s) who has demonstrated a significant contribution to the field of community paediatrics. The recipient receives a commemorative award at a dinner held by the CPS in his or her honour. Dr. Bruni will be receiving the award at the end of May at this year’s CPS National Conference in Montreal. It’s a well-deserved award for an outstanding physician who always puts patients and their families first.
Shared on behalf of Amy Carr Director Human Resources & Interim Chief Human Resources Officer & Peter Myllymaa, EVP Corporate Services & Operations
We are pleased to announce that Joanna Coccimiglio has accepted the position of Executive Assistant, People & Culture, effective April 11, 2022.
Joanna will assume this role in addition to her current interim Executive Assistant role supporting the Corporate Services & Operations portfolio, for the remainder of the temporary vacancy.
Prior to her current role, Joanna worked for the Northern Supply Chain and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. Joanna holds a Masters of Science in Management and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Lakehead University. Joanna’s experience, education and skills will be a great asset to the team as we move forward with the Staff Experience directions within the Strategic Plan 2026.
Joanna can be reached at her current extension 6022 and she will remain located at the desk outside of the EVP, Corporate Services and Operations Office.
Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Joanna to her new role.
