Please join Lakehead University’s Indigenous Students Association for their 36th Annual Powwow on March 13, 14, 15 at the Lakehead University Hanger. Everyone welcome!
Indigenous Students Association 36th Annual Powwow (March 13-15)
Category: Informed
Turtle (I) Lot Additional Parking Capacity
Shared on behalf of Capital & Facility Services
Effective March 10, 2026, Turtle (I) Lot will have an additional 36 temporary parking spaces available for staff use until further notice. These additional spaces are accessible through the Turtle (I) Lot and located near the pedestrian path accessing the Hospital (G staff entrance). Drivers will enter via single-lane entrance and cross the designated pedestrian path.
As a reminder, drivers and pedestrians are to exercise diligence, caution, practice situational awareness, and abide by posted signage.
These temporary parking spaces are available for use over the next few months as site options are explored. Availability is subject to change upon future communication.
Thank you for your continued understanding as we transform our campus to enhance our exceptional services for NW Ontario!
Updated Policy: QM-60 Incident Learning System (ILS)
Shared on behalf of Quality and Risk Management
Please be advised, we have revised the Hospital’s policy QM-60 Incident Learning System (ILS) Reporting, Investigation and Trending of Incidents and Near Misses.
Actions Required
Managers – Review this memo and the attached poster with your staff during Safety/Quality Huddles and post in your department. The updated policy will be circulated once approved.
Key Policy Changes
Purpose Change: Detail added to principles of a ‘Just Culture’.
Policy Statement Change: Clarification that incidents involve patients and visitors.
Scope Change: Categories updated.
New Definitions Added:
- After hours: 1600 – 0800 hours Monday to Friday; 24 hours on weekends and recognized holidays.
- Incident Triage Team (ITT): A group of leadership who will meet within 48-72 hours of a critical incident to determine if a Quality of Care (QOC) Review is required, and if so, what type of review.
Procedural Updates:
- Procedure 5.2 updated: To clarify who staff should contact when incident occurs.
- Procedure 5.3 updated: To add references to new appendices and to ILS downtime procedure.
- Procedure 5.6: Explanation of incident classifications.
- Procedure 7: References updated.
Key Process Reminders
Please see the attached poster (below).
To report incidents causing harm to employees, please refer to OHS-os-207 Accident/Incident Reporting and Investigation – Employee.
Please also refer to the Incident Reporting Pathways Flowchart on the iNtranet.
If you have any questions, please email TBRHSC.QualityandRiskManagement@tbh.net.
Bridge Northwest: Change Readiness Survey
Thank You for an Amazing Employee Recognition Week
Last week, we celebrated Employee Recognition Week, a special time to honour the dedication and compassion demonstrated every day by the staff at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. Your commitment to our patients and their families is what sets us apart and enables us to deliver exceptional care across Northwestern Ontario.
Thank you for the dedication you show throughout the year. We hope you enjoyed the week’s activities and the opportunity to spend time with colleagues. Please know how much each and every one of you is appreciated, not only during this special week, but every day.
Interntional Women’s Day (March 8)
International Women’s Day is an opportunity to recognize the incredible achievements of women and girls while acknowledging the ongoing work needed to achieve true equality among all genders. This year’s theme #GivetoGain focuses on giving support to gain advancement for women and girls. As individuals, giving support means calling out stereotypes, challenging discrimination, questioning bias, celebrating women’s success, and more. Sharing our knowledge and encouragement with others is also key.
As health care workers, we can further our commitment by educating ourselves about the unique health needs of women. It is essential to recognize that a gender health gap remains, causing disparities in health outcomes and access to health care between genders.
Today and every day, we celebrate the remarkable women at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute.
Together, let’s work towards gender equality and a brighter future for all.
For more information about International Women’s Day, visit: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/ or https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Activity/15586/The-history-of-IWD.
Tune in to the Town Hall: Next Edition is March 18
All staff, professional staff, learners, and volunteers are invited to tune in, stay informed, and get involved as in our monthly Town Hall. This is your chance to hear the latest updates from across our Hospital and Health Research Institute — from strategic priorities to day-to-day operations — and to have your voice heard.
Past and Upcoming Town Hall Dates Via Microsoft Teams
September 17 @ 2:00 p.m.
October 15 @ 2:00 p.m.
November 26 @ 2:00 p.m.
December 17 @ 2:00 p.m.
January 21 @ 2:00 p.m.
February 25 @ 2:00 p.m.
March 18 @ 2:00 p.m.
April 15 @ 2:00 p.m.
May 20 @ 2:00 p.m.
June 17 @ 2:00 p.m.
Got questions or feedback?
This is your forum. Ask questions live during the Q&A segment or submit them in advance to ensure the right people are available to respond.
Submit your questions by:
- Emailing TBRHSC.GroupNews@tbh.net
- Asking in real time during the Q&A segment of the Town Hall.
Submitting questions in advance ensures the right people are available to respond.
Don’t miss it — we look forward to seeing you there!
If you’d like to access a recording or presentation from a previous Town Hall, visit the archive.
What Can Your Poop Tell You?
It’s not a conversation most people want to have: stool samples and cancer. But when it comes to colon cancer, avoiding the conversation can be far more uncomfortable than having it.
Colon cancer often develops without symptoms, which is why regular screening is one of the most effective ways to catch the disease early. In many cases, the first warning sign is something only a stool test can detect. When detected and treated early, 9 out of 10 people with colon cancer can be cured. Yet in Northwestern Ontario, 42 per cent of eligible adults are overdue for screening.
“For most people between the ages of 50 and 74 who are at average risk and have no family history of colon cancer, screening starts with a simple test you can do at home every two years,” says Dr. Nicole Zavagnin, Regional Primary Care Lead for Ontario Health – Cancer Care Ontario at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “The fecal immunochemical test, or FIT, looks for tiny amounts of blood in the stool that aren’t visible to the eye and can be an early warning sign of cancer.”
One common myth that prevents people from getting screened is the belief that the test is invasive. “A FIT is not a colonoscopy,” explains Dr. Zavagnin. “It’s a simple at-home test that involves collecting a small sample of stool and does not require a hospital visit, sedation, or time off work. If you have a family history of colon cancer, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider about the screening option that’s right for you. When a FIT result is abnormal, a colonoscopy is the important next step to find the cause.”
Another myth about cancer screening is that if someone feels healthy, they don’t need to get tested. In reality, screening is designed for people who feel well, before symptoms appear or illness develops.
“Screening is a proactive step you can take while you’re feeling healthy,” says Dr. Zavagnin. “It gives us the best chance to find cancer early, when treatment is less complex and outcomes are significantly better.”
This Colon Cancer Awareness Month, ask your healthcare provider if you are due for screening. People without a healthcare provider can get a FIT from the Screen for Life Coach (807-684-7777) or by calling Health811. The test is quick, private, and covered by OHIP for eligible individuals.
Talking about colon cancer screening might feel uncomfortable at first, but it can be one of the most important conversations you have.
March is Engineering Month
March is Engineering Month, a time to celebrate the profession of engineering. Engineers in hospitals work in a variety of roles, including project planning and execution, facility engineering, and biomedical engineering. They design, develop, and maintain equipment and spaces to support clinical care.
2026’s theme is Engineers Open Doors, which highlights how engineers create new futures, opportunities, and innovations. We want to take this opportunity to recognize the dedication, passion, and hard work of engineers here at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
These staff work to improve our patients’ care experience through innovation and progress, and support our vision of exceptional care for every patient, every time.
OPAT & Outpatient Medical Programs Operations Coordinator
Shared on behalf of Craig Kozlowski, Director – Patient Flow & Partnerships and Kelly Keeler, Manager – Medical Transitions Clinic/OPAT, Internal Medicine Clinics (CHF/COPD/Anticoagulation), Complex Care Diabetes Centre, Regional Bariatric Centre, Paediatric Healthy Living & Telemedicine
We are pleased to announce that Brody Blackwood will be joining the Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) team as Coordinator and Operations Coordinator for Outpatient Medical Programs, effective March 9, 2026.
Brody brings a strong clinical and operational background to the role. He has experience working as a Registered Nurse in the ICU and most recently served as a Patient Flow Coordinator. Through these roles, he has developed valuable insight into the coordination of care across the system, including outpatient programs. His experience will be a great asset in supporting the continued development of the H2H programs and our outpatient medical programs.
Brody has also completed the Critical Care Course at Durham College and is currently working toward his Master of Nursing at Lakehead University.
Please join us in welcoming Brody to his new role.