To enhance your experience at hospitals in Northwestern Ontario, we are asking patients to Opt In to receiving text messages and emails.
Starting in Fall 2025, hospitals in Northwestern Ontario will begin sending appointment reminders and confirmations by SMS (text message) or email for patients aged 16 and over to those who Opt In.
Please note: No personal health information (PHI) or any sensitive or confidential details will be shared through these messages.
This service is part of a phased initiative to enhance regional communication and technology. Participation is voluntary, and you may unsubscribe or withdraw your consent at any time without affecting your care. To unsubscribe, visit the provided link or your local hospital’s website.
By submitting the enrollment form, you consent to receive SMS or email appointment reminders and confirmations from Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre, Dryden Regional Health Centre, Riverside Health Care, and Lake of the Woods District Hospital for departments including Diagnostic Imaging, Surgical Consults, and Specialty Clinics. As this is a phased-in approach, communication will be extended to all other partnering hospital organizations in the Northwest (NW) region. This may include, but not be limited to, appointment reminders and other communications from health care providers in the future.
If you DO NOT consent to receive SMS or email appointment reminders and confirmations, do not complete the questions and existing methods of contact (phone and mail) will remain.To sign up and get more information, visit https://nwo-sms.ca/
FAQS for Patients about Opting In to SMS Notifications
Staff of Canadian Red Cross’ PATH program. (L-R): Noreen Wilkins, Transitional Care Assistant, Talia Kean, PATH Coordinator, and Manu Varghese, Transitional Care Assistant. They are on site today wearing their red shirts. Feel free to stop and talk with them to learn more about the PATH program or email any questions to paththunderbay@redcross.ca.
Transitioning from Hospital to home can be challenging, especially for older adults who may face barriers to discharge. That’s where Canadian Red Cross’ PATH (Priority Assistance to Transition Home) program steps in. The PATH program helps support patients with the transition from Hospital to home. A trained worker will escort the patient home and ensure, upon arrival, that they are settled in, comfortable, and safe at home. PATH Transitional Care Assistants (TCAs) provide support to patients two weeks post-discharge from Hospital.
They can assist with:
Escorted transportation home
Assistance obtaining prescriptions, medical supplies and or assistive devices
Settling in at home (up to two hours)
Providing a meal/snack or assistance with preparing a meal
Assistance obtaining groceries
Follow up day after discharge by Coordinator to see how you are doing
Links to community support services
Transportation to follow up medical appointment(s) if part of discharge
Eligibility for PATH includes:
Age 55 or older
Medically stable and able to be left unattended
Able to direct their own care
Independently mobile (or has a caregiver who can assist)
Recently admitted or discharged from an inpatient unit, or seen in the Emergency Department
Not live in a long-term care home
With PATH, patients and their families can feel confident knowing they have the support needed to make home a safe and sustainable place to heal.
Access to the PATH program is by referral only. Fax referral forms are being handed out to departments today, or email paththunderbay@redcross.ca to obtain an electronic copy.
Shared on behalf of Justin Garofalo, Vice President, Facilities, Capital Planning and Support Services & CFO
We have recently observed an increase in the use of the East Entrance (Cafeteria), and Labour and Delivery Entrance for patient pick-up and drop-off.
As a reminder, the East Entrance is not designated for patient or public access. This entrance is not appropriate for patients to use as there are limited patient facing resources and longer distances to travel for clinical areas. The Labour and Delivery Entrance is reserved exclusively for patients and families accessing labour and delivery services.
To ensure safety, efficiency, and compliance with our site protocols, please review the following important points:
The road in front of the East Entrance is a designated fire lane and must remain clear at all times. Therefore it should not be used by patients for pick-up and drop-off.
The East Entrance doors are accessible only by swiping your employee ID card and are intended for staff use only.
A public bus stop, along with Lift+ and taxi service, is conveniently located just across from the Fish Lot (A3) for public transportation access.
All patient and family resources — including the Information Desk, Security, staxi chairs, seating, and parking pay stations — are available at the West Entrance.
Staff are reminded not to escort patients to the East Entrance for pick-up or drop-off. Instead, Units and porters are asked to direct all patient movement through the West Entrance, where there is convenient access to the designated patient pick-up and drop-off area in the Fish Lot (A3). Additionally, staff should ensure patients use the entrance appropriate to the service they are receiving. For example, labour and delivery patients should be directed to use the Labour and Delivery Entrance for both pick-up and drop-off.
Managers are encouraged to share this information with their teams and with staff who have limited computer access.
Get ready for the new school year with exclusive back-to-school savings from Perkopolis. TBRHSC staff can enjoy special discounts on a variety of items to help start the year off right.
Check out the poster below for easy access to these great offers:
Sent on behalf of Wayne Taylor, Director, Cardiovascular, Medicine & Renal Program
We are pleased to announce that Amanda Walberg has accepted the position of Regional Cardiovascular Development Lead.
Amanda has worked as a Performance Improvement Consultant with Strategy and Performance Management at TBRHSC since 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology degree from Lakehead University and a Master of Health Administration degree from Toronto Metropolitan University.
In her new role, Amanda will play a key part in developing and implementing a regional mandate to support cardiovascular care. Working closely with the Cardiovascular Services and CVS project teams, she will focus on improving cardiovascular outcomes, through strong project management and a commitment to advancing healthcare. This work will align with regional priorities and help shape the future of cardiovascular care in Northwestern Ontario.
Amanda will begin her new temporary role at TBRHSC on Monday, September, 8th, 2025.
Please join me in congratulating Amanda and supporting her in this important role.
Medical Affairs is thrilled to announce that Dr. Hailey O’Donnell has joined Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as a full-time General Neurologist with the Department of Internal Medicine.
Dr. O’Donnell brings a strong commitment to excellence in neurological care, with comprehensive training in advanced therapies, evidence-based management, and the latest developments in treating neurological disorders. She completed her Adult Neurology Residency at the University of Ottawa, following an initial residency in Adult Psychiatry, and earned her Medical Degree from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Thunder Bay. Dr. O’Donnell also holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lakehead University, where she was recognized on the Dean’s List for academic achievement.
Dr. O’Donnell has contributed to both clinical care and medical education, with experience in First Nations community health and as a tutor and presenter at the University of Ottawa Medical School. She has presented at multiple neurology rounds and co-authored a publication in the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences. Her leadership includes service on the Wellness Committee and the Neurons on Wheels Working Group.
Having grown up in Northern Ontario, Dr. O’Donnell is passionate about enriching patient care and advancing neurological health in our region. Outside of work, she enjoys spin classes, running, yoga, and sharing her love of cooking with friends and family.
Let’s all extend a warm welcome to Dr. Hailey O’Donnell!
Starting Friday August 15, 2025, the contractor will be begin setting up for the roofing project. They will be occupying the space marked on the map below with a Telehandler to bring equipment to roof level. The work in this area will be going on for roughly a month.
Please avoid the area between the G Door and ambulance bay door. Please use the MRI door as an alternative.
Also, the bike racks in the area will be temporarily removed until the work is complete.
If there are any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to Jeffrey MacDonald at Jeffrey.MacDonald@tbh.net.
A childhood cancer diagnosis changes every aspect of life as families know it. For Drago and Shanley Pavletic, their new reality also came with many 17-hour drives when their son, Luke, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a common childhood cancer with treatment that stretches over years. With limited care options close to home, it meant countless trips from Thunder Bay to London—1,500 kilometres each way—to access specialized care at Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (CH, LHSC).
Every trip came at a cost—financially, emotionally, and logistically. While their daughter, Petra, stayed home with grandparents, the rest of the family navigated flight schedules, and when flights were cancelled, they made the hours-long drive—at times through bad weather and car trouble. The family relied on the kindness of friends and extended family, both in Thunder Bay and in London, to hold their life together.
For families like the Pavletics in Northwestern Ontario, that burden has now eased. In June, we at the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) in partnership with Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre launched the ninth POGO Satellite Clinic. The Clinic provides local outpatient care for children and youth with cancer, closer to home and their support networks. The impact for families is significant. The ability to be at home more often allows families to maintain some semblance of normalcy and return to the daily rhythms of life—like work, school, socializing with friends and family, and participating in favourite activities.
POGO, as the official advisor to the Ontario government on childhood cancer, is the leader of Ontario’s world-class childhood cancer system. Our work is made possible thanks to both provincial government funding, as well as donor support. Together with our partners, we have built a system of care that wraps around families supporting their physical and mental health needs from diagnosis to treatment, to survivorship and, when needed, to end-of-life care.
The existence and expansion of our Satellite Clinic Network isn’t just about convenience. It’s about improving access, ensuring equity, and optimizing outcomes for the 500 children diagnosed with cancer every year in Ontario, and just as many who are seen annually in these Clinics. While children receive their primary cancer care at one of the five specialized pediatric cancer programs in Ontario—in London, Hamilton, Ottawa, Kingston or Toronto—at the appropriate time in their treatment, there is a smooth transition to a care team at a Satellite Clinic to receive aspects of their care locally. The hospital care teams work in tandem, collaborating to deliver quality care in the setting that’s most appropriate to the child’s needs. Satellite Clinic care in community hospitals also frees up much-needed capacity in specialized pediatric cancer programs, while ensuring continuity and timeliness of care. This is a win-win for families and the system.
In 2024 alone, families made 6,500 visits to POGO Satellite Clinics for such services as chemotherapy, x-rays, ultrasounds and managing complications of cancer therapy. That’s 6,500 long-distance trips not taken. With less disruption to family life, it’s improved quality of life.
Care closer to home also lessens the overall financial burden on families. It is estimated that in the first three months after a child’s cancer diagnosis, families spend more than a third of their after-tax income on out-of-pocket costs—much of it on travel. That’s before accounting for lost income when a parent or caregiver leaves work to care for their child.
Outpatient care at POGO Satellite Clinics has also enabled patients to enroll in clinical trials, a core component to continued improved outcomes in pediatric cancer. This is thanks to a framework created by POGO with the Ontario Research Ethics Board (OCREB) to remove geographic barriers to clinical trials typically only accessed in major centres.
Through successive five-year provincial Childhood Cancer Care Plans, produced by POGO and our partners, our vision for care closer to home is clear: timely, equitable care in the right place. This requires strong, ongoing collaboration between POGO, care teams, hospitals, government and other partners. At its core, the POGO Satellite Clinic Network is a care delivery model that supports families like the Pavletics and others with the compassion they require at the most challenging time of their lives.
Porters at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) play a vital role in keeping the Hospital running smoothly and efficiently. With energy and a smile, they transport patients safely and comfortably between wards, diagnostic departments, and operating rooms, ensuring timely care and reducing patient stress.
Always ready to lend a helping hand, porters also support medical staff by moving essential equipment, delivering supplies, and responding quickly to urgent requests. Their positive attitude and dedication create a friendly, welcoming atmosphere that brightens the Hospital environment for patients and staff alike. Fiona, a porter at TBRHSC, truly embodies this spirit, and starts her shift with two goals:
“I always set my intention for my shift and hope that at least one person says that I’m kind. Yesterday it was my first patient and an x-ray tech,” says Fiona. “I also try to smile at everyone I see, and set a goal to find out who has the best smile that day, whether it is a patient or staff. I find that energetically this is a good thing to do – when people see you smile, they smile, and it elevates their mood. It is a small thing that makes a big difference.”
Fiona, a porter at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, let us tag along to show us the ins and outs of portering.Fiona starts her day picking up her work phone, an essential tool to her job. A role-specific app allows her to accept, reject, or report completion of jobs directly on her phone. This ensures transports are done efficiently and in the right order. Real-time updates prevent delays or bottlenecks, especially in high-pressure areas like the Emergency Department or surgery.
Reliable, compassionate, and dynamic, Hospital porters are essential team players making a real difference every day. Fiona checks in with the patient’s nurse to ensure the patient is prepared to be transported. This includes that they are aware of the move, medically safe to move, paperwork complete, IV lines secured, notes or medications are ready. This step is essential to prevent premature or unsafe transfers, maintain continuity of care, and support effective communication between departments.
Fiona introduces herself to the patient, and reiterates where they are headed. This conversation (which she has with every patient) reflects the porter’s role in patient-centered care, ensuring dignity, comfort, and safety throughout the transport process.“Patients love to ask me how many steps I get in a day,” smiles Fiona. “The answer is between 25,000 and 35,000 steps per shift. I always make sure to take the stairs to get in a few more!” “They also ask about navigating the Hospital. It is actually really well laid out, with critical departments close to each other to streamline workflow. It is well-designed,” she adds.Fiona says the trickiest part of the job is navigating through tight spaces and obstacles. “But that is where the teamwork comes in,” she says. “Other staff are always willing to hold the door or elevator for porters. That is what makes me really feel like part of the team.”“Being a porter is wonderful,” say Fiona. “You get only one job at a time. You only have to focus on the person you are with. It is a job where you can truly make a difference in a patient’s day.”
