Welcome to the Affinity List Surnet Insurance – Degagne Insurance Solutions.
SurNet Insurance Group – DeGagne Insurance Solutions is a locally rooted insurance brokerage committed to providing trusted advice, personalized service, and insurance solutions designed to support individuals, families, and professionals throughout Northwestern Ontario.
Through this affinity partnership, eligible members can access preferred insurance options and professional guidance tailored to their unique needs, with the same integrity, transparency, and accountability that define our approach to quality customer service.
See our updated Affinity List for details on how to access this discount.
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Regional Cardiovascular Program consists of highly skilled interdisciplinary teams who work together to provide care and support the needs of patients and families from across Northwestern Ontario for patients with conditions affecting the cardiac and vascular systems.
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC)’s Regional Cardiovascular Program fosters the development and delivery of collaborative care across Northwestern Ontario, supporting the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of people with conditions affecting the cardiac and vascular system.
TBRHSC provides cardiovascular services including Cardiac Diagnostics (ECHO, Stress Testing, ECG, Holter Monitor Clinic), Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Pacemaker Clinic, Rapid Access Vascular Examination (RAVE) Clinic, Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, alongside the dedicated cardiac and vascular units where patients received specialized care. Across these services, highly skilled interdisciplinary teams work together to provide care and support the needs of patients and families from across Northwestern Ontario throughout their care journey. The team consists of registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, general and interventional cardiologists, vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, cardiac sonographers, diagnostic medical sonographers, medical radiation technologists, data specialists, clinical nurse specialists, registered cardiology technologists, ECG technicians, registered respiratory therapists, respiratory aides, occupational therapists, kinesiologists, physiotherapists, registered dietitians, pharmacists, clerical and administrative staff along with clinical leaders across the program. TBRHSC’s Regional Cardiovascular Program strives to promote collaboration, partnership, and equitable access to care in the North.
The team responsible for developing the new Cardiovascular Surgery Program is working with internal and external partners to bring cardiac surgery to Northwestern Ontario, strengthening our ability to provide specialized care close to home. This work builds on a partnership that began in 2014 with University Health Network’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, using a “One Program Two Sites” model that supports shared standards, learning, and clinical expertise across teams. Phase 1 successfully introduced vascular surgery services at TBRHSC, and phase 2, now underway, focuses on launching cardiac surgery, creating new opportunities for staff growth, collaboration, and advanced practice.
“Our Regional Cardiovascular Program reflects our commitment to ensuring people across Northwestern Ontario can access high-quality, specialized cardiac and vascular care closer to home,” said Wayne Taylor, Director, Cardiovascular, Medicine and Renal Program at TBRHSC. “Through strong partnerships, interdisciplinary teamwork, and a clear focus on equity and collaboration, we are strengthening cardiovascular care across the region. The expansion of services, including the introduction of cardiac surgery, represents an important milestone for our organization and for the patients and families we serve, today and into the future.”
The expansion will include a new hybrid operating room, two operating rooms for open-heart surgery, a 14-bed Cardiovascular Surgery Unit, a six-bed Coronary Care Unit, a Cardiovascular Care Clinic and expansion of our Medical Device Reprocessing Department (MDRD) at TBRHSC. To support this expansion and the many people and families who access our services across Northwestern Ontario, the Program works closely with regional partners to promote collaborative design and equitable implementation across the region. Data guides quality improvement and service planning, supported by TBRHSC data specialists, while promoting evidence based best practice across the program. Together, the team is continuing to strengthen clinical services and regional presence to support exceptional care for every patient, every time.
The 2026 theme for Black History Month in Canada, “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries,” honours the Black Canadians who have shaped our past and present, and the inspiration they provide to future generations.
As we celebrate Black History Month, we will be highlighting the outstanding work of Black Canadians who have contributed to health care.
Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbott
Did you know that Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbott made history by becoming Canada’s first formally credentialed Black doctor? He attended the Toronto School of Medicine and received his license to practice from the Medical Board of Upper Canada, paving the way for future generations of Black medical professionals.
Dr. Abbott then moved to the United States to practice medicine but later returned to Canada, where he spent his last years writing about Black history and medicine.
Dr. Abbott also advocated for racially integrated schools and believed that Black access to higher education was essential. His legacy continues to inspire and uplift communities to this day.
Lillie Johnson emigrated from Jamaica to Canada in 1960 after training as a nurse and midwife in Jamaica and the U.K. She received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Toronto and became the first Black director of public health in Eastern Ontario.
In 1981, Johnson founded the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario and lobbied the government to add the disease to its list of newborn screening. It is now standard practice to screen for sickle cell disease for newborns in Ontario.
She received recognition for her advocacy and work, which includes the Toronto Public Health Champion Award, the Black Health Alliance Legacy Award and Toronto Metropolitan University’s Viola Desmond Award, and was the recipient of the Order of Ontario.
As Black History Month approaches, the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Steering Committee would like to highlight the significant contributions of the Black community to health care.
We are currently seeking staff members or learners who identify as Black (for example, African, Caribbean, African Canadian, Afro-Caribbean, and Black Canadian) who are interested in sharing about their learning and/or work experiences in healthcare, and what Black History Month means to them.
Submissions will be featured on the Daily Informed Newsletter and TBRHSC social media pages.
If you would like to participate, or have any questions, we invite you to email the EDI Steering Committee by February 25, 2026 at 12 p.m. at: TBRHSC.EDISteeringCommittee@tbh.net.
NOSM University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Cole Anderson, Clinical Lecturer, as Family Medicine Self-Directed Program Director, effective January 1, 2026.
An alumnus of NOSM University’s MD and Family Medicine residency programs, Dr. Anderson later completed enhanced skills training in Emergency Medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He currently practises as a staff emergency physician at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and provides locum emergency medicine services across Northwestern Ontario.
Dr. Anderson is actively engaged in medical education at NOSM University, with both the MD and residency program, with a strong focus on competency-based education, learner-centred curriculum design, and the advancement of distributed medical education. In his new role, he is committed to strengthening medical education at NOSM University and to supporting flexible, individualized training pathways.
On behalf of the medical staff and leadership at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), I want to sincerely thank you for the work you do as residents training with us.
As Chief of Staff—and as an Emergency Medicine physician—I am genuinely grateful to be part of your journey. I value the opportunity to work with you, learn alongside you, and support your development. Residency is a formative time, and the relationships, experiences, and lessons you gain here shape not only your careers, but the care we provide to our region.
You are part of an exceptional community of physicians and interprofessional colleagues. The teams at TBRHSC are unrelenting in their commitment to patient care and truly unsurpassed in their dedication, resilience, and compassion. The work can be challenging, but it is deeply meaningful—and you are never doing it alone.
I have had the privilege of practicing healthcare in Thunder Bay for over 25 years and have witnessed remarkable change across our hospital and region. Residents play an important role in that progress, and I am confident many of you will help lead the next wave of innovation, advancing care and strengthening health outcomes for the communities we serve.
We are grateful you have chosen to train here and for the contributions you make every day. Thank you for your commitment, professionalism, and care.
For Heart Month, we caught up with Stephanie Needham, Cardiovascular Data Specialist at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, to get an inside look at the work the data team does and what makes their roles truly special.
Name: Stephanie Needham on behalf of the Cardiovascular Services Data team
Role: Specialist – Cardiovascular Services Data, Data Analyst and Vascular Data Nurse
Why did you decide to become a part of the Cardiovascular Data team?
The team of three consists of two registered nurses and one data analyst with a background in data analytics. We each came into the health care data world a bit differently.
For myself, I started from a cardiovascular surgery referral and procedure management aspect. I quickly saw the challenges posed when data was inconsistently collected or poorly understood, resulting in data quality issues affecting reporting outcomes. Understanding the data (including its limitations), what it is needed for, or how it will be used, is so important.
Tell us about your role.
We work to ensure the collection and analysis of quality data. The data is used internally for operational purposes (volumes, wait times, referral patterns, etc.) and externally to meet provincial reporting requirements (i.e. provincially mandated data collection by Ontario Health-CorHealth). We work closely with our partners in Health Records and Decision Support to strengthen the data available as a whole. Through the work of our team, we have been able to combine clinical and operational knowledge with the vastly different skill sets of extracting, combining and manipulating large data sets to provide reporting and insight into what is happening within our programs and support service provision.
We also participate in a quality database for the Vascular program, the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI), which is an international registry program designed to improve the quality, safety and effectiveness of vascular care through benchmarking, long-term follow-up and regional quality improvement, with an overall aim of improving patient outcomes.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
One of the most challenging aspects of this work is taking the information out of the existing systems that staff utilize everyday (ITS/CWS, NOVARI, etc.) and making it useful for administrative and operational purposes. We work hard to streamline processes and to minimize duplication in data collection for staff. We also work to ensure that data is replicable. The importance of understanding differences across available datasets both within the Hospital and outside is key when planning for the future.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your profession?
There are many rewards but in particular, when the data and associated information we provide is utilized to support discussion, decision making and quality improvement, to improve Hospital services and ultimately, the care provided to patients and families.
Any advice for those considering a career in health care?
Health care is diverse and has a great deal to offer, especially if you look beyond some of the more traditional roles. There is a great deal happening all the time behind the scenes to support the system and those on the front lines in the provision of Exceptional care for every patient, every time.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to each of you during Resident Appreciation Week.
Your dedication, professionalism, and commitment to our patients make a meaningful difference every day. You provide high-quality, compassionate care to the people of Northwestern Ontario, often in complex and demanding circumstances, and your service is deeply appreciated.
I recognize that residency is an exceptionally challenging period. Balancing intense clinical responsibilities with rigorous educational requirements requires resilience, adaptability, and perseverance. Your willingness to learn, grow, and continue to place patients at the centre of your work reflects the very best of our profession.
At TBRHSC, our mission is grounded in delivering excellent, patient- and family-centred care through collaboration, innovation, and accountability. Your contributions embody these values. You are integral members of our healthcare teams, and your commitment to respect, compassion, excellence, and teamwork strengthens our organization and the care we provide.
As you continue your training, I hope you will consider TBRHSC not only as a place where you learn, but as a place where you can envision your future practice. We are committed to supporting physicians who share our values and our dedication to serving this region, and we would welcome the opportunity to see many of you continue your careers here as members of our medical staff.
Please know that your efforts do not go unnoticed. All members of our hospital community value and appreciate your contributions and the role you play in advancing patient care, education, and our shared vision of improving health outcomes for the people we serve.
Thank you for everything you do, and best wishes as you continue your training and professional journey.
The Maternity Centre at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) provides prenatal care for the residents of Thunder Bay and surrounding region. Our team is committed to providing evidence-based maternity care that is safe, respectful and culturally sensitive.
Self-referral can be made to be seen by a Nurse Practitioner, Family Medicine Physician, Social Worker, Kinesiologist, Dietician, and Lactation Consultant.
To be seen by an Obstetrician, a referral is needed from your primary health care provider or midwife.
During pregnancy, you are welcome to call the Maternity Centre to schedule an appointment with one of our prenatal care providers. All of our programs are accessible with your Ontario health card.
TBRHSC’s Maternity Centre welcomes the 118 babies born at our Hospital during the month of January. Congratulations on the new bundles of joy!
