Today marks CaRMS Match Day, a significant milestone in the journey of our graduating medical students.
This day reflects years of commitment, resilience, growth, and hard work, and we are incredibly proud of the Class of 2026. Match Day brings many emotions and many paths forward. Regardless of today’s outcome, each of our students has contributed meaningfully to our community and has grown into a capable, compassionate future physician. That is something worth celebrating.
To our physicians, staff, and clinical teams — thank you. Your mentorship, patience, and generosity in welcoming learners into your clinics, hospitals, and teams make moments like this possible. The strength of our students is a reflection of the strength of the community that supports them.
To the Class of 2026: wherever your path leads next, know that you are valued, supported, and celebrated.
Shared on behalf of Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO, TBRHSC, and CEO, TBRHRI
Hello, Boozhoo, Bonjour.
Employee Recognition Week (ERW) is here and we are thrilled to acknowledge the dedication and professionalism of the people who make our organization extraordinary. What you do every day helps bring us closer to our vision of exceptional care for every patient, every time. I know how busy you are, so if you can find the time, please take the opportunity to participate and connect with your colleagues through the activities celebrating your contributions. It will be happening all weekend and until March 6th. You can find more information here.
In other news, our Electronic Health Record upgrade to Meditech Expanse is well underway and as we move forward together, your engagement, feedback and willingness to embrace this change is critical to our success. I know change like this is not easy and there are many competing priorities. That said, it is critical that we support the project and one another for a better staff and patient experience in the long run. Thank you in advance for being part of this project to support high-quality care.
As you know, our Hospital campus is transforming as I write this and it is incredible to see. We have many projects happening simultaneously that include phase two of our Hospital Refresh which includes targeted upgrades to common areas and the main corridors. We also continue to move forward with several significant infrastructure projects. This includes ongoing renovations to the MDRD area that align to our build for Cardiovascular Surgery, both of which are important investments in modernizing our care environments and supporting cardiovascular specialized services. Additionally, we are seeing progress with our Emergency Department expansion that is occurring above the Labour and Delivery Area. The expansion will significantly benefit everyone who relies on our Emergency Department. Thank you to all the teams involved in this work and the cooperation of the involved departments. I will keep you updated on our progress.
Finally, as we prepare for the upcoming Accreditation Survey, I want to thank everyone who took part in the Accreditation mock survey this month. Your openness to engage and provide insight were critical in helping us assess our readiness and identify areas that we can improve upon. The mock survey was a valuable step in the accreditation process and if you were not directly involved, please know that you will likely be involved in the full survey. Every person, role and interaction contribute to our collective success. Stay in the know by visiting the Accreditation section of the Intranet under the corporate info tab found here.
I hope you find this update informative, and as always, I welcome your feedback about this blog or anything else on your mind. You can reach me at rhonda.ellacott@tbh.net. I appreciate hearing from you.
Photo: (Top left, going down the stairs) – Karrie Walker (Social Worker, Intensive Care Unit) Tessa DeBruyne (Social Worker, Emergency Department), Janice Ihamaki-Morgan (Social Worker,1A), and Patricia Winters (Social Worker, 2C) (Top right, going down the stairs) – Mark Donylyk (Social Work Practice Lead, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit), Amy Roukema (Social Woker, 2A), Jacqueline Collier (Social Worker, Brief Intervention Treatment Team), Laura Groulx (Social Worker, Bariatric Care), Sara Robinson (Social Worker, AMH), Nahid Anee (Social Worker, Adult Mental Health)
During Social Work Week (March 2-8), we celebrate the impact Ontario’s social workers have at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and in our communities. This year’s theme, “When care and insight come together, change happens”, captures the interconnected strengths that define social work — empathy, expertise, and partnership in action. Each word stands on its own, yet together they express the profession’s unique ability to blend compassion with critical thinking and lived understanding.
This year’s campaign celebrates the trust, expertise, and humanity social workers bring to every community. Social workers deliver care that is person-centred, trauma-informed, and grounded in the realities of people’s lives. Their insight is shaped by advanced education, evidence-based practice, and a deep understanding of the social factors that influence well-being. And at the heart of it all is together: the collaborative, person-led relationship that drives meaningful change.
Join us in celebrating the many ways social workers open doors to health, mental health and wellness for people across Ontario.
Happy Social Work Week to all the social workers at TBRHSC who support hundreds of patients and families each year.
Employee Recognition Week is a time to celebrate the people — our medical staff, employees, teams, volunteers, and Patient Family Advisors — who make a meaningful difference for patients and families across Northwestern Ontario. Their dedication and commitment to providing exceptional care deserve to be recognized and celebrated.
From February 27 to March 6, staff are encouraged to visit the Corporate Intranet, read the Daily Informed Newsletter, and follow our social media channels to learn more about Employee Recognition Week activities, including prize draws, daily trivia, and more.
Congratulations to our Employee Recognition Week (ERW) Daily Trivia winners for Friday, February 27 to Sunday, March 1:
Hospital and Health Research Institute employees are able to participate in our ERW Daily Trivia every day until March 5. Prize draws will be held daily, and the winners will be announced on the Daily Informed Newsletter and on the Hospital’s socials.
$25 gift card, donated by Pizza Hut: Sandy, Occupational Health and Safety
$25 gift card, donated by Pizza Hut: Ashley, Decision Support and Case Costing
$25 gift card, donated by Pizza Hut: Jane, Emergency Department
$25 Boston Pizza gift card, donated by BMO: Francine, Finance Patient Billing
$25 Cheese Encounter gift card: Sara, Intensive Care Unit
$25 Cheese Encounter gift card: Sophia, Diagnostic Imaging
$50 President’s Choice gift card, donated by Co-operators: Rollande, ICP Pharmacy Support
$50 President’s Choice gift card, donated by Co-operators: Kristine, Psychology and Psychometry
$50 President’s Choice gift card, donated by Co-operators: Alison, Centre for Complex Diabetes Care (CCDC)
$50 President’s Choice gift card, donated by Co-operators: Shannon, Patient and Family Centred Care
$50 President’s Choice gift card, donated by Co-operators: Leslie, Post Anesthesia Recovery Unit
$50 gift card, donated by The Cheese Encounter: Tracey, Intensive Care Unit
$50 gift card, donated by Serenity Salon and Spa: Shelly, ICP Oncology Clinical Trials
$50 Serenity Spa gift card: Katherine, Intensive Care Unit
$50 Fresh Air gift card: Mallory, Radiology
$50 gift card, donated by The Cheese Encounter: Erin, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit
$50 gift card, donated by The Cheese Encounter: Kerri, C.T. Scanner
$50 gift card, donated by The Cheese Encounter: Cassandra, MCKC Pre-Dialysis Clinic
$50 Pizza Hut gift card: Kathleen, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
$50 Amazon gift card, donated by Broker Link: Stephanie, Patient Food Services
$50 Amazon gift card, donated by Broker Link: Jamey, Patient Food Services
$50 Pizza Hut gift card: Diane, Laundry and Linen Department
$150 gift card, donated by Fresh Air: Bruce, Laundry and Linen Department
Gift coupon for three private classes, donated by Ross Pilates: Debora, Medical Device Reprocessing Department (MDRD)
Gourmia Airfryer, donated by BMO: Tracy, Laundry and Linen Department
Keep checking in here for the latest winners of our daily prizes!
Prizes can be picked up Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Human Resources in Suite 302B of the Medical Centre.
Click here to learn more about our Employee Recognition Week including the full schedule of events.
Shared on behalf of Jennifer Pugliese; CISO / NW Regional Security Operations Centre; Director / Information Technology (Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre / St. Joseph’s Care Group)
I’m pleased to announce that Mikael Mintenko has joined our team as Manager, Regional IT Security.
With over 20 years of experience in IT leadership, cybersecurity, and privacy, Mikael brings expertise from roles in both public and private sectors.
He has led major initiatives in risk management, cloud security, and helped strengthen organizational practices to meet industry standards. Mikael holds CCSP, SSCP, and CIPM designations and is a Confederation College graduate.
Please join me in welcoming Mikael as he helps advance our regional cybersecurity strategy, supports IT security operations across our region and helps enhance the security of the systems we rely on every day.
Join us in celebrating Employee Recognition Week (ERW) with our 2026 trivia. All employees are encouraged to participate for a chance to test your knowledge about our workplace and win exciting prizes. New trivia questions will be posted each day. Submit your answers using the online submission form.
“Why can’t I try Expanse yet? Is there a test or practice environment available?”
We understand that the future state can be difficult to envision. At this stage our test environment is our build environment. This is normal in large, multi-organization implementations as even limited “hands-on” access can create unintended issues. When users explore or “play” in a shared test environment, it can disrupt other teams’ work or create confusion about what is accurate or final.
To avoid this, implementations often limit open access and rely on structured walkthroughs facilitated by a Change Specialist, ensuring the environment remains stable and reliable for everyone. Hands on access will be available to those who participate in integrated system testing, parallel testing, and super user training.
These activities will commence in September 2026.
“What’s the plan for training?”
A coordinated training plan is being developed by Training Leads at both Bridge Northwest and ONE HITS.
Super Users and Train-the-Trainer staff are expected to be identified throughout Summer of 2026 and then trained in Fall of 2026.
Broader staff training will begin in early 2027 ahead of Go-Live.
Training will include a mix of virtual, and in-person sessions as well as written reference materials.
“Will Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) become Super Users?”
That is the expectation in many cases. SMEs are well positioned to become “Super Users” because of their involvement and knowledge.
This will depend on individual interest, availability, and local resourcing decisions. If you’re interested, letting your manager know early is encouraged!
Super Users Definition:A trained departmental expert who provides frontline support, workflow guidance, and peer-to-peer assistance before, during, and after Go-Live.
“I volunteered as an SME but now don’t feel I’m the right person — what should I do?”
This happens, especially as work evolves. It is never too late to add or change SMEs or bring in additional expertise. If representation feels off, your Working Group Lead and Change Specialists can help adjust participation to better match the work.
“How do I escalate concerns about workflows, design, or patient safety?”
The best place to start is the Q&A log in your working group. Your Working Group Leads or Change Specialists can help direct concerns related to other working groups.
If you are not part of a working group, have a local concern, or are not sure where to turn, you can ask your Change Specialist or Expense Lead for advice.
All issues that are raised, through any method, are reviewed by the appropriate teams to understand the scope and impact of the concern and deal with it accordingly.
Devices, Infrastructure & Technical Readiness
“What new devices will clinicians be using? What is changing, staying the same, and will we have enough devices?”
Clinicians will continue to use familiar devices such as desktop computers, workstations on wheels, and laptops.
New devices will be added where needed, including barcode scanners to support medication and blood product administration.
Additional devices added for Physicians and other specific roles consist of Dual Monitors and Microphones for Front End Dictation.
Wall Mounted computers with barcode scanners will be installed for various use cases. Wall mounts will flatten to the wall or on an articulating arm, so computers can be positioned as required.
Off-site access to the system will continue to be available through Citrix. All Organizations, including their local IT teams, leadership, and clinicians are being engaged to ensure there are enough appropriate devices to support the safe and effective use of Expanse.
Documentation, Orders & Clinical Workflows
“I heard providers will enter their own orders – that is part of my job now. Why is this changing?”
This change supports patient safety, accuracy, and timely care by reducing hand-offs, transcription errors, and delays. It also aligns with modern clinical practice and accreditation standards used across Canada. This does not remove the important role of clerical and support staff; it simply means these roles will shift toward other tasks that add value to units and departments.
“How will dictation change at my Organization?”
A working group is currently reviewing what dictation tools will be available within Expanse.
These options are being assessed to support different clinical workflows and documentation needs, including options for front-end dictation and exploring AI scribes. Information about available tools and how they will be used will be shared as decisions are finalized. Training and support will be provided for all dictation users as new options become available.
“Are providers still able to give verbal orders?”
The overall goal is to use direct provider order entry whenever possible, as it improves accuracy, reduces delays, and supports patient safety. However, verbal orders will still be allowed with limited and clearly defined use.
Verbal orders are intended for urgent or exceptional situations (for example, codes or when a provider cannot reasonably enter the order themselves). Providers will then be required to sign off on the order in the system at the first available opportunity.
“Will teams be able to use paper charting for trauma or high-acuity cases?”
Yes. Teams will continue to have the ability to use paper charting in trauma or other high-acuity situations where immediate clinical care must take priority.
These workflows are carefully reviewed to ensure patient safety, clinical efficiency, and alignment with best practices.
Clear guidance will be provided when paper documentation is appropriate and how it will be reconciled in the system afterward.
Training will support teams using the right approach during these high-pressure scenarios.
Interoperability, Data Migration & Information Sharing
“Will I be able to view a patient’s complete chart from another regional facility? Or facility in Toronto?”
Yes, clinicians will be able to view patient information from Northwest partner hospitals, which includes all 12 hospital organizations in the Northwest region. Some information may remain location-specific and only accessible to users at a particular site, depending on workflow, privacy, or operational requirements.
For care provided outside the Northwest region, work is underway using Meditech’s data-sharing platform, Traverse Exchange, which allows information to be shared between hospitals using Meditech as well as other systems such as Epic, Cerner, and PointClickCare. Ongoing work is focused on determining what external data will be available to Northwest clinicians and how it will be presented and used in clinical care.
All Clinicians will continue to have access to the ConnectingOntario ClinicalViewer for patient information.
“Will current Meditech data migrate into Expanse?”
A limited amount of clinically relevant information from the current Meditech system, such as allergies, recent laboratory results, and other key patient data, will migrate into Expanse.
This ensures that clinicians have access to the most critical relevant information to support safe care at Go-Live. Remaining historical information will continue to be available through a link, allowing clinicians to quickly and easily access older records when needed. Guidance will be provided on what data will be migrated and how to access historical information in Expanse.
“Will Expanse interface with external systems such as eCTAS and NOVARI?”
Expanse is planned to interface with external systems as they do today. Interface planning is underway, and integrations are being reviewed and prioritized based on clinical need, readiness, and technical feasibility.
All existing interfaces will be available at Go-Live, and some additional integrations will be implemented as part of Go-Live and ongoing optimization.
If you have questions about specific integrations, please reach out to a Change Specialist for more information.
“Will my family physician/NP be able to access my hospital Expanse record?”
Yes, if they have appropriate access and a clinical reason to do so.
Results and reports generated by the system will continue to be distributed to primary care providers with read-only access.
We are working with several community and primary care organizations on expanded access to Expanse as part of the scope of the Program.
“Will there be a patient portal?”
Yes, there will be a patient portal.
Implementation of the Patient Portal is planned for post Go-Live. This will ensure there is enough meaningful data in the Expanse system for the portal to be useful to patients and their families.
Safety, Quality & Change Management–
“What can I do to support coworkers who are unhappy about this change?”
You can support coworkers by listening and acknowledging their concerns, without trying to convince them the change is “good”. Validating how disruptive the change feels often reduces frustration more than explanations do.
When helpful,
Share clear & accurate information
Point out how their roles remain valuable, even if some tasks are changing
Help them think about ways the change might help them in their role.
Encourage them to raise concerns through the appropriate channels and model a calm, supportive approach.
“Will AI be used within Meditech Expanse?”
Meditech Expanse includes emerging AI-enabled and automation features, but their use will be introduced thoughtfully and in a controlled way. Any AI functionality is intended to support clinical decision-making, documentation, and workflow efficiency, not replace clinical judgment.
The AI features that are enabled will depend on technical readiness, local configuration, governance decisions, and privacy requirements. As these capabilities mature, they will be reviewed through appropriate clinical and governance processes before being introduced.
Clear communication and training will be provided before any AI-supported tools are made available to users.
“How will Expanse change the job I do?”
Expanse will change how you do parts of your job and what tasks you perform, but not why you do it.
Many core responsibilities will stay the same, but workflows such as documentation, order entry, medication administration, and accessing patient information may look different or be more standardized across sites. Some tasks may take more time initially as you learn the system, but most will become more efficient once you are familiar with it.
The goal of Expanse is to support safer, more consistent care and better access to information across the region.
Training, support, and time to adapt will be built in to help you transition successfully.
“Why are we making so many changes when some workflows already work?”
It’s understandable to ask this.
While some current workflows function well, the existing system cannot support important safety requirements, regional integration, or new tools.
Organizations across the province that have already gone live report the transition is difficult – but ultimately beneficial, and they wouldn’t go back!
“This feels like a long road—how do we stay supported?”
This is a long program and staying supported matters. Reaching out early, using local coordination approaches, and keeping open communication with Change Specialists, colleagues, and your local leadership will help sustainable momentum.
February is National Therapeutic Recreation Month! This is a time to celebrate the health care professionals that use research and therapeutic processes to assist patients in achieving their goals and highest quality of life.
The role of Therapeutic Recreation is to support and assist patients to develop and maintain healthy leisure lifestyle skills with the goal of community reintegration. Leisure skills can improve a person’s overall health, functional ability, and quality of life by enhancing their self-esteem, social skills, and independence.
In honor of this National Therapeutic Recreation Month, we would like to highlight some of the program Therapeutic Recreationists provide at our Hospital that leads to exceptional patient care. Thank you for all the work that you do!
Recreation Therapy in the Forensic Mental Health Unit at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre uses structured leisure and activity-based interventions to support recovery and rehabilitation for adults with serious mental illness involved in the justice system.
Working within an interdisciplinary team, Therapeutic Recreationists provide goal-oriented programs—such as art, physical activity, and skill-building groups—to enhance coping skills, emotional well-being, social functioning, and successful community reintegration.
Shared on behalf of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Steering Committee
On March 1, we recognize Zero Discrimination Day – an opportunity to promote inclusion, fairness, and equity in every part of life – especially in health care.
The day was first launched by the United Nations and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS in 2014 to highlight the stigma faced by people living with HIV. It has since grown into a movement to fight all forms of discrimination including those based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability status, health status, and other identities.
In health care, discrimination and stigma contribute to inequitable access to health care services, and disparities in health outcomes. Zero Discrimination Day reminds us of the importance of providing culturally safe, dignified, and patient-centred care for all patients and families; and fostering safe workplaces that are free from discrimination.
The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Steering Committee, in collaboration with partners from EDI Strategic Plan projects, continues to move the needle forward on initiatives such as an EDI Toolkit, and the Black Health Action Plan, that seek to eliminate discrimination, and provide a safe, equitable environment for all patients and staff.
