Ontario Health (Ontario Renal Network) has recognized the North West Regional Renal Program at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre for its outstanding commitment to excellence in care for renal patients.

In 2024-25, the program made significant improvements in the delivery and management of kidney care services. These improvements reflect the dedication, collaboration and resilience of the programs front-line staff, physicians and Regional Renal Program leadership. The program continues to demonstrate an exceptional commitment to providing high-quality care for renal patients despite the ongoing pressures of our health care system.

Based on performance indicators set out by Ontario Health, the North West Regional Renal Program achieved or exceeded the following targets:

• Goals of Care Among Prevalent Chronic Dialysis Patients: Achieved a high annual growth rate of 9% during the 24/25 fiscal year – the third highest among all programs in the province;
• Deferred Dialysis: Surpassed the 75% annual target with a score of 84% in Q3 of the 2024/25 fiscal year;
• Goals of Care Completion: Surpassed 85% annual target and achieved a score of 87.4% for Q4 of the 2024/25 fiscal year;

Performance indicators measure how well programs deliver and improve patient care. As a tool, they help identify successes and guide improvements to ensure better outcomes for people living with kidney disease.

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 116 babies born at our Hospital during the month of October. Congratulations on the new bundles of joy!

Find out more about our services by visiting https://bit.ly/TBRHSC-Maternity-Centre-info

Ethics in Everyday Care: Supporting Exceptional Care through Values-Based Decision-MakingSupporting Exceptional Care through Values-Based Decision-Making

Every day, patients, families, and health care teams at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) face choices that do not always have an easy answer. Whether it is deciding on a treatment plan or navigating differing opinions about what’s best for a loved one, these moments can be emotional and complex. That is where the Hospital’s ethics service can help.

Ethics is about doing what’s right — not just medically, but in a way that respects people’s values, beliefs, and experiences. The ethics service at TBRHSC supports patients, families, and staff in exploring difficult questions with compassion and clarity. “The ethics service helped us find a path forward that balanced safety with what mattered most to the patient,” shared one care team member. “It helped everyone feel heard.”

Consider this example: a patient nearing the end of life was torn between wanting to spend as much time as possible at home with family and accepting a treatment that might extend life but require a long hospital stay. The care team, along with the Bioethicist, helped the patient and family talk openly about what mattered most — comfort, time together, and dignity. Together, they reached a decision that aligned with the patient’s values and wishes.

This is ethics in everyday care — helping people make informed, values-based decisions that reflect what’s truly important to them.

At TBRHSC, ethics is woven into exceptional care every day. The Bioethicist and Ethics Committee, made up of staff and Patient Family Advisors, offer guidance and support for a wide range of situations — from bedside decisions to Hospital-wide policies.

During National Ethics Week (November 2–8), TBRHSC joins hospitals across Canada in recognizing the vital role of ethics in compassionate, patient-centered care — care that honours people’s values, builds trust, and supports the well-being of the whole person.

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