The latest Good Morning Innovation event brought together staff from Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute to explore how strategic partnerships drive progress, improve equity, and strengthen patient outcomes. Hosted by Innovation Team member Elke Cullis, the session focused on “Innovation in Partnerships,” emphasizing creative collaboration across sectors and specialties.

Jessica Logozzo, Vice President, Strategy and Regional Transformation, opened the event with insightful remarks on the power of partnerships in health care. Working to facilitate system-wide collaboration across Northwestern Ontario, Logozzo highlighted how cross-sectoral thinking and shared efforts lead to smoother transitions in care, stronger communication networks, and improve efficiency. Her message underlined how internal and regional partnerships can lead to meaningful, sustainable outcomes for patients and families.

During the session, participants took part in a Dot Voting activity to determine the most important priority for building effective partnerships. Each attendee received three dots to allocate to the guiding principles they valued most. The final results revealed a strong collective focus on equity, collaboration, and communication. The top priority was building partnerships that improve equity and access to care, which received 47 dots. Sharing resources, expertise, and data to achieve better patient outcomes followed closely with 45 dots. Strengthening communication and trust between teams and partners earned 36 dots, while involving patients, families, and communities as equal partners in care received 27 dots.

The event featured six innovation collaboration presentations that demonstrated how teamwork across programs and institutions leads to tangible improvements in care:

ICC & HART Hub – Paula Vangel (Manager, Indigenous Collaboration) highlighted collaboration between Indigenous Care Coordinators and the Homeless & Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub.

RAVE, SJCG & TeleVu – Marissa Fazzari (Coordinator, Cardiovascular Services) and Prachi Sharma (Change Management Lead at SJCG) presented how the Rapid Access Vascular Examination Clinic and Regional Wound Care Program integrate services through digital collaboration.

Establishing an Orthopedic Research Platform – Viktoriya Dyukaryeva (Orthopaedic Research Development Officer) showcased the partnership between Northwestern Ontario orthopedic surgeons and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute.

Prenatal Class Program Pilot – Vanessa Mihaljevic (Clinical Nurse Specialist) discussed the partnership between TBRHSC and the Thunder Bay Health Unit enhancing prenatal education.

Connecting Programs & Strengthening Care – Ramsey Broennle (Regional CKD Lead) and Susan Bale (Regional Indigenous Cancer Lead Assistant) shared how linking Indigenous Chronic Kidney Disease and Indigenous Cancer Screening programs promotes holistic care.

TBRHSC CVS & UHN PMCC – Amanda Kates (Performance Improvement Consultant) and Kaitlyn Veneruz (Clinical Nurse Specialist – Cardiovascular Surgery) detailed the collaboration between TBRHSC and UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre to advance cardiac care across regions.

The event closed with reflections on the success of current initiatives and a collective look toward sustaining innovation through continued partnerships. Attendees were invited to provide feedback and share suggestions for future sessions.

Stay tuned for the next Innovation event, coming 2026, promising another opportunity to celebrate innovation and creativity in health care.

In recognition of Medical Radiation Sciences Week, check out this trivia.

---

Magnetic resonance imaging technologists (MRT(M)) at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre produce images with excellent soft tissue discrimination using magnetic fields and radio-frequency pulses to aid in diagnosis of disease. The ability to image the patient in a variety of planes, in addition to the safety and noninvasiveness of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), makes it a valuable tool for physicians. MRI is the fastest growing imaging modality that is replacing many invasive procedures in today’s health care environment.

Join us in thanking this amazing team for their hard work and dedication to the science of medical imaging!

On Indigenous Veterans Day, we honour all the First Nation, Inuit and Métis individuals who gave their lives for freedom, veterans and those who continue to serve today. We are grateful for their bravery and commitment, powerful testaments to their resilience and dedication. Today, we express our deepest gratitude to Indigenous veterans for their service as we reflect on the sacrifices made. Their stories deserve to be told, remembered and celebrated.

About 10,000 Indigenous men and women volunteered to fight for Canada in the World Wars, facing discrimination before and after their service. Upon returning, many lost their Indian Status and did not receive equal recognition or benefits compared to non-Indigenous soldiers. 

To all those brave and courageous people, we say chi-miigwech. We will always remember your tremendous sacrifices.

Lakehead University’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives will host an Indigenous Veterans Day Ceremony on Monday, November 10, 2025. Additionally, their exhibit will be open to the public from November 7 to November 14. For more information click here.

View photographs and read stories from this time in our history here.

Here is a snapshot of our learner activity for October 2025. Thank you to all departments for continuing to support an exceptional learning environment.

Below are the number of learners who completed placements at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre across a variety of programs and disciplines.

• 63 Health Professions: There were a total of 63 students on site in October representing the following programs: Child and Youth Worker, Dietetics, Echocardiography, Genetics, Kinesiology, Medical Laboratory Assistant, Medical Laboratory, Technologist, MRI, Pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician, Physiotherapy, Primary Care Paramedic, Personal Support Worker, Psychology, Respiratory Therapy, and Social Work.
• 261 Nursing Students: There were a total of 261 Nursing students on site in October, including students from Lakehead University, Confederation College, Oshki-Pimache-O-Win: The Wenjack Education Institute, Nipissing University, and the National Institute of First Assisting.
• 83 Residents: NOSM U Postgraduate Medical Learners currently completing core or elective rotations in Thunder Bay.
• 36 Medical Students: In October, 36 UGY1, UGY3, and UGY4 medical students were on site. UGY1s completed a half-day Foundation Interprofessional Team Based Care in the North (FIT) placement, while UGY3s and UGY4s participated in clinical rotations.
• 7 Physician Assistants: In September, the Physician Assistant students began their placements in Family Medicine clinics and are now on site for hospital rotations. The majority will remain here until December.
• 7 Visiting Electives: Visiting electives included 2 Medical Students and 5 Residents from other institutions, including Northeastern NOSM U learners.
• 4 Midwifery Students: Midwifery students are currently completing clinical placements, with some on site until April 2026.

*All learner data was taken from NirvSystem and the Learner Database.

On November 7, we come together to celebrate International Inuit Day. This day honors the rich culture, history, and contributions of Inuit peoples across the circumpolar region. Selected by the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), this date commemorates the birthday of a visionary leader, Eben Hopson, Sr., who founded the ICC.

Celebrated since 2006, International Inuit Day serves as a platform to celebrate the unique traditions and languages of Inuit communities, while also raising awareness of the challenges they face, such as climate change and social inequalities. It is a day for acknowledging the ongoing efforts towards reconciliation and empowerment within these communities.

Inuit homelands span four key regions in Canada:

• Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador)
• Nunavik (Northern Quebec)
• Nunavut
• Inuvialuit (Northwest Territories)

Overall, nearly 70% of Inuit reside in these regions (called Inuit Nunangut), encompassing diverse cultures and languages. In Canada, over 70,000 Inuit individuals speak various dialects of Inuktitut,

Join us in recognizing the significance of this day by learning more about Inuit culture and their contributions, visit:

• Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC)
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
• Canadian Encyclopedia – Inuit Article
• Indigenous Peoples of Canada Atlas
• Edsen Hopson

Welcome to the Fall 2025 edition of the Bridge Northwest Quarterly Newsletter! This publication is a source for updates, highlights, and important milestones as our region transitions to Meditech Expanse.

Stay up to date with ongoing news and updates by subscribing here: Contact – Bridge Northwest

Publication link: Digital Newsletter Fall 2025 – Bridge Northwest

Shared on behalf of Jennifer Wintermans, Vice President, Clinical Services, Quality and Corporate Affairs

---

I am pleased to inform that Tram Dao, Manager, Quality and Risk Management will be transferring her skills and leadership to the position of Director, Quality and Risk Management effective immediately. 

In this Director position, Tram will assume the responsibilities previously held by Kristin Shields, who has stepped away from this position until May 2027.

As a previous frontline nurse and Patient Care Manager, Tram brings a strong background in clinical practice and has demonstrated the ability to lead teams effectively, drive quality initiatives, and demonstrate improved clinical processes for better patient outcomes. With over 13 years of comprehensive clinical and leadership experience, Tram is well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to our quality and risk management objectives, while advancing initiatives that align with our strategic priorities. Notably, she has been instrumental in leading and expanding the Quality Huddles initiative to nearly 70 departments, which supports our primary goal under the Patient Experience pillar to focus relentlessly on quality. Tram is committed to enhancing patient safety through evidence-based practices and supporting continuous improvement and accreditation readiness.

On behalf of the portfolio, we are excited to welcome Tram to her new position and look forward to her contributions in reinforcing and building on the current accomplishments, to enable quality and safe care driven by innovation and improvements. 

Tram can be reached at extension 6012 or Tram.Dao@tbh.net. Please continue to contact the main QRM line (extension 6019) and email (TBRHSC.QualityandRiskManagement@tbh.net) as you normally would.

Good Catch Awards highlight individuals, groups or departments who demonstrate their commitment to keeping patients safe by reporting a near miss. A ‘good catch’ (or near miss) is an event or situation that could have resulted in harm, but did not reach the patient because of chance or timely intervention. Reporting these events can help to identify gaps in order to prevent future adverse events from happening.

Karolyn, a 2C nurse floating on 1A, noticed that a wrong order sheet had been placed in a patient’s chart with an order for medications to be given that evening. She was concerned that the orders were meant for a different patient. After reading the progress note side of the order, she realized it did not make sense in relation to the patient’s current treatment plan and the note had stated assessments that were not done on the patient.  She contacted the PA to clarify the orders and advised her she may have confused the order with that of a patient with the same name. Once clarified, Karolyn removed the order sheet from the wrong patient’s chart and the PA removed labels and proceeded to place proper patient’s labels on before filing it in the correct patient’s chart. Good catch!

While working on 3B, John started to assess a patient while referring to the SBAR and asked the patient if her right hip was in any pain, as that is what was documented on the SBAR, the admitting orders, and one note in the EMR.  The patient, the patient’s daughter, and the nurse from the LTC home all stated it was the left hip that was painful, and John could also physically see shortening of the left leg. Additionally, he discovered the x-ray report noted the fracture on the left hip. John informed Admitting and correctly documented the left hip fracture. Great job!

Jessica works as a Medical Lab Technologist. Two different patients had bone marrow samples collected on the same day, and the specimens were sent down at the same time in separate bags. Both pathology requisitions had the same patient label on them.  Jessica caught the labelling error in hematology prior to delivering the samples to pathology, and she was able to call up to the unit to have the nurse complete the correction of documentation before the samples were tested. Well done!

Thank you to all for your diligence and dedication to safety!  Each recipient has been awarded a certificate and gift cards to local businesses to enjoy.

New winners will be selected every quarter. Continue submitting your near misses for a chance to win! Near miss reports are submitted through the Incident Learning System (patient safety incidents). Click on the ‘safety reporting’ icon from your Novell home page, or go to the iNtranet and choose ‘Safety Reporting’ under ‘Informational’.

For more information, contact Terry Fodë, Patient Safety Improvement Specialist (terry.fode@tbh.net).

In recognition of Medical Radiation Science Week, check out this trivia.

---

---

During Medical Radiation Sciences Week, we celebrate the diagnostic medical sonographers (DMSs) at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. These health care professionals use ultrasound technology to create images of the inside of the body in order to assist physicians in diagnosing and monitoring various medical conditions. Also known as a sonographer or ultrasound technologist, they operate specialized equipment to produce high frequency sound waves that form visual images, known as sonograms or ultrasounds. Sonographers must understand human anatomy, accurately operate the equipment, and interpret the images to provide accurate information for diagnosis and treatment.

Join us in thanking this amazing team for their hard work and dedication to the science of medical imaging!

Today’s Ethics Week Feature – Faces of Ethics: Nursing Practice

What does your department do?

At TBRHSC, Nursing Practice helps ensure that nursing care is safe, evidence-based, and compassionate. We act as a bridge between frontline nurses and organizational leadership — turning clinical expertise and best evidence into everyday practice. Our team supports nurses through mentorship, education, and quality improvement initiatives, helping them navigate complex care situations with confidence and care. Ultimately, our goal is to strengthen nursing practice at every level so that patients and families receive the best care possible.

What ethical issues come up in your area?

Ethics is at the heart of Nursing Practice. We’re often reflecting on questions like: How can we deliver excellent care when resources are stretched? How do we support nurses who face moral distress in difficult situations? How do we build systems and cultures where ethical practice isn’t just encouraged — it’s expected?

We also think carefully about the ethics of change — whether it’s introducing new technology, updating policies, or revising clinical guidelines — and how those changes affect the people who provide and receive care. In the end, Nursing Practice is about helping create an environment where doing the right thing for patients, families, and colleagues is always possible.

Ethics is everywhere. Thank you to our Nursing Practice team for helping keep ethics at the centre of care at TBRHSC.

Ethics Affects Us All. If you’re facing an ethical dilemma or have questions, reach out to the Bioethicist, or a member of the ethics committee for support.

Bioethicist: Michelle Allain – michelle.allain@tbh.net | 807-684-6538