The next phase of terrazzo flooring repairs will start on Monday, March 17 and are expected to last two weeks, until Friday, March 28.

This phase of work will result in the closure of the Main Entrance (at the revolving doors).

• REGIONAL CANCER CARE patients only can continue to enter through the West Entrance, to access Reginal Cancer Care reception.
• ALL OTHER PATIENTS AND VISITORS will need to access the facility via the RENAL Entrance doors (adjacent to the main entrance) and utilize the A-Corridor back to the main corridor and then back to the Main Lobby.

Please see the map attached below.

As with previous phases, we will begin to close of the area with fencing in the afternoon of the first day. and repair work will occur overnight from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Fencing will be placed around the work area for the duration of the timeframe to protect the area and equipment, and to ensure the safety of staff, patients and visitors.

Major Impacts:

• MAIN ENTRANCE doors will be closed – staff, patients and visitors are to use the RENAL Entrance doors (at the revolving door)
• Volunteers will be posted at the Renal Entrance to help guide patients back to the main lobby. Signage will also be posted.
• Staxi chairs will be kept inside the Renal and West entrances
• Interior entrance to Regional Cancer Care (RCC) will be OPEN and accessible via the West Entrance. RCC patients will need to continue to use the detour route to access the Robin’s Donuts area of the main lobby from within the department.
• Vending machines from the west doors will remain in the Cafeteria for the duration of work; alternate machines are located in the Diagnostic Imaging and Surgical Day Care waiting rooms
• Access to the Information Desk or Security Desk will be by the east side of the Info Desk
• Waiting space (for rides) inside the building will be available in the open area at the West Entrance, but patients and visitors will need to access this area from OUTSIDE

There are NO impacts to the following:

• Vehicle Pick-Up and Drop-Off area at the front entrance
• Renal patients can continue to access the building via the Renal doors
• Admitting department will be partially blocked but remain fully accessible

If you have any questions, please contact Kristi Judge at kristi.judge@tbh.net or Darin Pretto in Maintenance at x.6205 or darin.pretto@tbh.net.

We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with NOSM University for the second Preceptor Workshop Conference for Health Professions, hosted by our Interprofessional Education Department. The goal of this workshop is to support current staff who preceptor learners in the organization with representation from many health professions at the conference.

This free event is scheduled for April 1, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and includes a complimentary networking breakfast for all participants. Financial compensation will be available to departments, where backfill is required for staff attending the workshop.

Understanding the value this workshop holds for professional development, we encourage you to share this information with your staff/colleagues who you feel would benefit from this event.

Interested participants are asked to register on Eventbrite, link found here, by March 14, 2025. Participant confirmation will be on a first come, first serve basis.

Thank you for your commitment to ongoing learning and professional growth. We look forward to your active participation in this enriching event!

Dan is a plumber at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. He is responsible for installing, maintaining, repairing, and troubleshooting plumbing systems and fixtures, ensuring the Hospital’s plumbing infrastructure functions properly and supports patient care. The job can sometimes get dirty, but Dan handles it all with professionalism and a “let’s get it done” attitude.

Dan is on call 24/7 for plumbing emergencies, and often has to come in early or stay late, to ensure a safe environment for staff and patients. “I just think about how if it was my mom whose bathroom wasn’t working, would I want her to go all night without a working toilet? No. So I come in to ensure patients have access to functioning bathrooms, clean water, whatever plumbing needs to be done to prioritize their safety,” says Dan.

Check out these photos of Dan in action, you might be surprised at what you see!

Dan is responsible for the Hospital’s Plumbing Preventative Maintenance programs to keep plumbing equipment in good working condition. This work brings him all over the Hospital, including the Medical Device Reprocessing Department (MDRD).

Dan collaborates internally and with contractors to ensure essential Hospital equipment is ready to go, often working early or staying late to work around staffs’ schedules and to ensure minimal disruption to staff and patients.

Dan working with contractor (Photo 8), who will be testing his equipment for renal care on one of our backflow prevention valves (photo 9).

March 13, 2025 is World Kidney Day. This year’s theme is “Are Your Kidneys Ok?”, a call to learn more about kidneys and kidney health.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is estimated to affect approximately 850 million people worldwide. If left undetected and not treated timely, CKD can progress to kidney failure, leading to severe complications and premature mortality. By 2040, CKD is projected to become the fifth leading cause of years of life lost, highlighting the urgent need for global strategies to combat kidney disease. The major risk factors for kidney disease are diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity and family history of kidney disease. Early detection can improve quality of life for people with kidney disease. [World Kidney Day 2025 campaign].

The Renal program at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre provides a wide range of services to people living in Northwestern Ontario with kidney disease. This includes education, decision making support and treatment provided in the Multi-Care Kidney Clinic, in the dialysis units, as well as pre and post transplant, and living kidney donation care. The goal is to provide the right care at the right time for our patients, knowing that their needs will change at the different stages of kidney disease.

For patients and families of those living with kidney disease, the Renal team has created new educational videos, illustrating some of the options available. They can be found on our website.

To page for portable x-rays or after-hours requests please use the new pager number: 807-626-8700.

Please use the new number going forward as the old number is out of service.

Shared on behalf of Infection Prevention and Control

Please be advised that the enteric outbreak on Forensics unit at TBRHSC is declared over. Thank you to everyone who assisted in ending Hospital-acquired transmission on this unit.

All restrictions are lifted.

As always, our number one priority is the safety of patients and their families, staff and visitors. The department of Infection Prevention and Control encourages everyone to keep applying the routine practices of hand hygiene, proper use of PPE, equipment cleaning, and the appropriate admission screening of all patients. Please set an example for staff and students and assist us by maintaining compliance and due diligence.

Shared on behalf of Infection Prevention and Control

Please be advised that the influenza outbreak on 3B surgical unit at TBRHSC is declared over. Thank you to everyone who assisted in ending hospital acquired transmission on this unit.

All restrictions are lifted.

As always, our number one priority is the safety of patients and their families, staff and visitors. The department of Infection Prevention and Control encourages everyone to keep applying the routine practices of hand hygiene, proper use of PPE, equipment cleaning, and the appropriate admission screening of all patients. Please set an example for staff and students and assist us by maintaining compliance and due diligence.

As part of our commitment to keeping staff engaged and informed on our Strategic Plan 2026, Strategy and Performance is sharing updates in alignment with the identified priorities: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Patient Experience, Staff Experience and Research, Innovation, & Learning.

The March 12th Operational Updates and Strategic Planning Meeting featured an update on Patient Experience: Seamless Transitions and was presented by Chad Johnson, Director, Pre-hospital & Trauma, Emergency, Critical Care, Respiratory Services, & NLOT and Craig Kozlowski, Director, Patient Flow & Partnerships.

Visit the Strategic Plan 2026 page on the Hospital’s corporate intranet, where these presentations, along with other resources can be found.

Dr. Caio Suartz and team recently performed our Hospital’s first robotic radical prostatectomy.

A radical prostatectomy is a surgical procedure performed to remove the prostate gland and surrounding tissues, typically as a treatment for localized prostate cancer. This surgery aims to completely eliminate the cancer while preserving urinary and sexual function as much as possible. Robotic-assisted surgery, performed with the help of a surgical system like the da Vinci® robot, has transformed the way prostate cancer is treated. 

Some key benefits include: 

Greater Precision – The robotic system provides enhanced visualization and dexterity, allowing for meticulous nerve-sparing techniques.
Minimally Invasive Approach – Small incisions result in less blood loss, reduced pain, and faster recovery.
Shorter Hospital Stay – Most patients are discharged within 24 hours after surgery.
Faster Recovery & Fewer Complications – Patients often experience a quicker return to daily activities and a lower risk of complications.

As robotic technology continues to evolve, radical prostatectomy remains one of the most effective treatment options for prostate cancer, offering excellent cancer control and improved quality of life for patients.