Sent on behalf of Adam Vinet, Vice President, Patient Experience, Chief Nursing Executive & Regional Vice President, Regional Cancer Care

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In preparation for the 2026/27 respiratory season, and in anticipation of potential impacts on our Inpatient Clinical Units and Emergency Department from respiratory and influenza type illnesses, masking requirements will increase effective Monday, October 19, 2026.

Please note that as of Monday October 19, 2026, all staff, professional staff, learners, volunteers and Essential Care Partners (ECPs)/Care Partners (CPs) will be required to wear a Level 3 procedure mask when entering a patient room for all Inpatient Clinical Units and when in the Emergency Department.

Please see the following details on masking requirements:

1A Inpatient Units

All Staff, Professional Staff, Learners, Volunteers and ECPs/CPs are required to wear a minimum Level 3 procedure mask at all times while on units 1A Medicine, and 1A Acute Oncology. This includes when entering a patient room and when within the 1A clinical area.

All other Inpatient Units

All Staff, Professional Staff, Learners and Volunteers must wear a minimum Level 3 procedure mask at all times when entering a patient’s room, when providing direct patient care, including transportation of patients and at any time they are unable to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing.

All ECPs/CPs visiting in an inpatient room must wear a minimum Level 3 procedure mask when entering a patient’s room and whenever they are unable to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing standards within the unit.

Emergency Department

All Staff, Professional Staff, Learners and Volunteers must wear a minimum Level 3 procedure mask at all times when entering a patient’s room, when providing direct patient care, including transportation of patients and at any time they are unable to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing.

All Patients and ECPs/CPs accompanying a patient must wear a minimum Level 3 procedure mask at all times in the department.

All other Outpatient Areas

All Staff, Professional Staff, Learners and Volunteers must wear a minimum Level 3 procedure mask at all times when entering a patient’s room, when providing direct patient care, including transportation of patients and at any time they are unable to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing.

All Patients and ECPs/CPs accompanying a patient must wear a minimum Level 3 procedure mask at any time they are unable to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing.

Public communication and signage will be provided to support the above requirements. Further communication will occur on this topic as required.

If you are a staff member who has been ill, please review the Occupational Health and Safety Standard Operating Procedure; Return to Work Guidance for Health Care Workers Post Acute Respiratory Illness (SOP-OH-34) before returning to work. This will help ensure you meet all necessary criteria for a safe and appropriate return.

Acute Respiratory Infection Self-screening Checklist:

Respiratory symptoms

• New or worsening cough
• Sore throat
• Runny nose or congested nose
• Shortness of breath
• Fever or chills
• Fatigue/muscle aches

Other Indicators

• Tested positive for a respiratory virus
• Close contact with a confirmed case (self-monitor and mask)
• Diarrhea/vomiting

Thank you for your commitment to keeping our patients, staff and Hospital safe. If you have any questions, please ask your manager or reach out to Infection Prevention and Control at 684-6094 for further details on best practices.

The iCare Impact Awards program is open to all employees, professional staff, Patient Family Advisors, and volunteers of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. It provides a forum for peer-to-peer recognition of positive impacts on our patients and their families.

Medical Affairs is pleased to announce that Dr. Qudsia Badar has joined the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as a Hospitalist with the Department of General & Family Practice.

Dr. Qudsia Badar earned her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from Fatima Jinnah Medical University in Lahore, Pakistan, and pursued postgraduate medical training through the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM University) in the Remote First Nation Stream. Her clinical experience spans family medicine, emergency medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and addiction medicine. Through her training at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Care Group, she has developed a broad range of clinical skills, including point-of-care ultrasound, acute care management, chronic disease management, and preventive medicine.

Dr. Badar is dedicated to advancing equitable healthcare access, medical education, and evidence-based clinical practice. Her academic and research interests include addiction medicine and innovative approaches to medical education. She has conducted research examining the efficacy and safety of Sublocade in rural and remote communities, as well as research exploring problem-based learning methodologies in medical education. Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Badar has demonstrated a strong commitment to teaching, mentorship, and community engagement. Through her involvement with the Touchstone Institute and Polycultural Immigrant & Community Services, she has supported internationally trained physicians transitioning into the Canadian healthcare system. Her multilingual abilities and experience working with culturally diverse populations further strengthen her commitment to compassionate, inclusive, and accessible patient care.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Qudsia Badar as she joins Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. We look forward to the clinical expertise, collaborative approach, and dedication to patient-centred care she brings to our patients, colleagues, and the communities we serve

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended the 3rd Annual Quality Huddle Excellence Awards on October 14, 2026. It was truly inspiring to see more than 80 staff members representing over 35 departments come together to celebrate the innovative ideas and quality improvement initiatives that have made a meaningful impact on safety, staff experience, patient experience, teamwork and collaboration, workflow efficiency, and Patient and Family Centred Care.

A special congratulations to all of this year’s award winners, listed below, for sharing their impactful initiatives. Each presentation highlighted creative and effective solutions developed through Quality Huddles, demonstrating how small changes can lead to meaningful improvements in our everyday work.

• Purchasing: Pill Splitter Standardization (Presenter: David Rinn)
• Transitional Care Unit: Backpack on Wheelchairs (Presenter: Tara Posselwhite)
• 2B Medicine: Exit Doors Mural (Presenters: Alyson Vescio & Erica Crowley)
• Adult Mental Health: Patient Belongings Meditech Tracker (Presenter: Debra Croswell and Joelle Macey)
• 2A Medicine: Patient Chart Identification Labels (Presenter: Taylor Mackenzie)
• 3A Surgery: Portable TV and DVD (Presenter: Laura Jurimae)
• Labour and Delivery: Dedicated L&D Defibrillator (Presenters: Katie Forbes & Siobhan OMalley)
• IT Support: On Call Schedule Revamp (Presenter: Cora Rouillard)
• Miskwaa Biidaaban – Indigenous Collaboration: ICC Master Tracker (Presenter: Leona Kakepetum)

Let’s continue to inspire one another and carry this momentum forward as we strive for continuous improvement and better outcomes for our patients. We look forward to celebrating with you again at next year’s event.

If your department has implemented a Quality Huddle, now is the time to start thinking about which initiatives or ideas you would like to showcase. More details about next year’s awards will be shared soon!

Your feedback matters to us. If you attended this year’s event, please take a moment to complete the post-event survey by scanning the QR code or clicking here. Your feedback will help us continue to make this event meaningful and engaging for everyone.

Quality Huddle Excellence Awards Team

• Jennifer Wintermans, Vice President, Clinical Services, Quality and Corporate Affairs
• Joelle Macey, Interim Director, Quality and Risk Management
• Michelle Allain, Interim Manager, Quality and Risk Management
• SaravanaPriyan GatamaneniLoganathan, Quality Improvement Lead, Quality and Risk Management
• Amanda Gerow, Performance Improvement Consultant
• Terry Fodë, Patient Safety Specialist Quality and Risk Management

On behalf of the Trillium Gift of Life Network, we would like to thank and congratulate staff for obtaining a Routine Notification Rate of 100% in quarter one! This is above the provincial average of 97% and is contributing to enhancing donation relationships within our Hospital.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and contributions in donation.

When Kirsten Kay’s husband heard a radio ad announcing that the starting age for breast cancer screening had been lowered from 50 to 40, he encouraged her to book an appointment.

There was no lump. Kirsten had no symptoms and no reason to believe anything was wrong. Still, the message stayed with him.

He kept saying, ‘I think you should go,’” Kirsten recalled. “We couldn’t feel anything, but I thought, he’s right. My mom passed away from lung cancer, and even though it wasn’t connected, I wanted to take every precaution.”

At 42, Kirsten booked her first mammogram on the Screen for Life Coach. She attended her appointment in December 2024 and later received a letter explaining that additional testing was needed. A biopsy followed. At the end of January, Kirsten received a phone call from her doctor confirming that she had breast cancer.

“I was shocked,” she said. “There were a lot of tears because there were so many unknowns. But I had already determined that I wasn’t going anywhere. This wasn’t where my story was going to end.”

Kirsten was diagnosed with stage one invasive ductal carcinoma. Because the cancer had been found through screening, it was detected before she could feel it herself.

Kirsten underwent a partial mastectomy two days before her 43rd birthday. She later completed nine rounds of radiation treatment, and rang the bell to mark the end of radiation on the same day as her daughter’s Grade 8 graduation.

“It was a big day in our house,” she said. “There was lots to celebrate.”

For Kirsten, the expansion of breast cancer screening to people in their 40s was particularly significant. Had the starting age stayed at 50, she would not have been eligible to self-refer through the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) when she booked her mammogram at 42. With no symptoms and no lump she could feel, she may not have discovered the cancer until it had grown larger.

That reality is not lost on her.

 “I will tell anybody who will listen: go for the test. If you’re in your 40s, you’re not too young,” she said. “Your life is more important than a few minutes of being uncomfortable. The squeeze isn’t as bad as people will have you believe, you’ve probably been hurt more by your toddler.”

Although Kirsten does not consider herself particularly superstitious, she believes someone may have been looking out for her from the beginning.

“My husband still doesn’t really know what prompted him to keep telling me to go,” she said. “I’ve always been convinced he had an angel whispering in his ear, saying, ‘You need to get her checked.’ Whatever it was, I’ll be forever grateful.”

Is it time to book your mammogram?

In Ontario, eligible women, Two-Spirit, trans and nonbinary people ages 40 to 74 can self-refer for breast cancer screening through OBSP, meaning a referral from a doctor or nurse practitioner is not required.

For most people at average risk, a screening mammogram is recommended every two years. Screening is intended for people who do not have symptoms and can find breast cancer before signs or symptoms develop.

To learn more about breast cancer screening, eligibility, or how to book an appointment, visit tbrhsc.net/breast-cancer-screening.

Every person has a story, and listening to those stories can help change the way we understand substance use and addiction.

In a new series of educational videos, individuals share their personal experiences and perspectives on stigma, substance use, addiction, and health care. Their stories offer an important opportunity to listen, learn, and better understand how our words, actions, and assumptions can affect those seeking care.

These videos also honour those who have been lost to substance use and addiction-related harms and acknowledge the grief experienced by their families, friends, and loved ones. By sharing these experiences and perspectives, we can deepen our understanding of the impact of stigma and recognize the importance of approaching every person with compassion, dignity, and respect.

At Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, we recognize that stigma can create real barriers for patients and families. Outdated language, stereotypes, and misconceptions can influence how people are treated and whether they feel safe and supported when accessing care. By listening to and learning from people with lived and living experience, we can challenge these assumptions and help create a more compassionate, inclusive, and welcoming environment.

Developed as part of the Patient Experience pillar of Strategic Plan 2026 and our ongoing work to reduce stigma associated with substance use and addiction, these videos reflect our collective resolve to do better and to move forward with greater compassion, understanding, and respect for those seeking care.

We invite you to watch, listen to the stories and perspectives being shared, and reflect on how each of us can help reduce stigma and make a positive difference.

This week, we hear from Joelle Macey:

For more stories visit bit.ly/confronting-stigma-TBRHSC

We’re developing our next Strategic Plan, and your feedback is essential. This is your opportunity to share ideas, identify priorities, and help guide the future direction of our organization.

We want to know:

• What can we do better and/or more efficiently?
• What can we do less of, or stop doing altogether?
• How can we better connect clinical care, research, education and everyday work so that they support each other more effectively?
• Looking ahead to 2032, what would make you proud to work here as an academic?

Staff are being invited to focus groups to share their perspectives and inform the development of the new Strategic Plan.

Session 1

• Date: Monday, October 26
• Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Location: Auditoriums A & B

Session 2:

• Date: Tuesday, October 27
• Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Auditorium A

Drop in to either of the sessions to provide your feedback. We look forward to seeing you there!

To complete the survey, click here or scan the QR code below.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre greatly values your efforts in providing exceptional care to our community. To show our appreciation, we’ve partnered with Sport Chek to offer you an exclusive employee discount on your purchases.

This is a limited time offer from October 15 – October 28, 2026 (in store) for VIP Pricing.

Process

• To redeem this offer, please click the link to get your unique barcode. This unique barcode can be printed or shown on a mobile device via Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Safari. Use of other internet applications is not recommended as problems may occur. Barcode will not work if alphanumeric code is not present.

• Please ensure you have your unique barcode with you before purchasing, as cashiers will not be able to process a transaction without it. 

Your unique URL to retrieve your discount code is: https://coupon.sportchek.ca?code=8KPBPDQVJ45246998856

*If the discount code link is not clickable, please copy and paste the full link into your web browser’s address bar to access the page.

For more information and promotional guidelines, please review the Sport Chek VIP Pricing information sheet on the following link: https://informed.tbrhsc.net/employee-experience-well-being/affinity-program-employee-discounts/resources/vip-thunder-bay-regional-health-sciences-centre-(1.pdf

For questions or concerns, please reach out to Kim Myros, Employee Experience and Well-Being Consultant at kimberly.myros@tbh.net.

All the best and happy shopping!

The renovation of the Outpatient Laboratory and Electrocardiogram (ECG) area marks an important early step in preparing Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) for cardiovascular surgery and strengthening the diagnostic services that support patients throughout their care journey.

The renovated space now provides dedicated areas for laboratory blood draws and ECG testing. The new layout improves accessibility and mobility, providing more room for walkers, wheelchairs and other mobility aids, so patients can move through the area more safely and easily. There is also more space when there is a support person present, such as a parent accompanying a child for testing, helping to reduce stress and make the experience more positive for patients, families and staff. Additionally, enhanced lighting and a more efficient equipment layout further support a better working environment for staff.

“This renovation gives our team the dedicated space we need to provide smoother, more comfortable care for the people of our region,” said Jill Kuzmich, Manager, Stroke, Neurology, Cardiac Diagnostics and Cardiac Rehabilitation. “By separating our ECG and lab draw areas, we’re improving privacy, accessibility, and workflow while strengthening support for cardiovascular surgery. We’re thrilled to see this progress and proud of what it means for our community.’”

“The updated space has a bright, modern feel and creates a more welcoming environment for patients,” said Lyl Stavropoulos, Manager, Laboratory, Specimen Collection and Dispatch. “It’s exciting to see these improvements taking place as the Hospital continues to grow and prepare for the cardiovascular surgery services ahead. It’s a positive change that will benefit both our patients and the staff who care for them.”

Beyond the immediate improvements, the renovation positions TBRHSC for future growth. As cardiovascular services evolve, the enhanced outpatient space strengthens the outpatient diagnostic pathway that is essential to pre-operative assessments, ongoing monitoring and follow-up care for patients from across Northwestern Ontario.

Photos: Renovated Reception (left), ECG (centre) and Phlebotomy (right) areas.