As we close the third year of our Strategic Plan 2026, I would like to take the opportunity to reflect upon one our five strategic priorities – Patient Experience. To ensure that patients and families across Northwestern Ontario receive the highest quality health care, we are reaffirming our commitment to our philosophy of patients at the centre of everything we do. Vital to this is understanding the patients’ health care experience. We have embraced opportunities to capture patient experience information as an integral part of enhancing the overall care experience for patients and families. Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) was the first in Ontario to introduce a text message-based patient experience survey – a more modern, accessible approach to capturing the patient experience. Another initiative supporting the patient experience is a hospital-wide commitment to reducing stigma in health care. Our anti-stigma campaign involves raising awareness of what stigma is, how it is a barrier to care and providing opportunity for staff to actively participate in anti-stigma efforts. By implementing these initiatives, we aim to create a positive experience for patients, families, and staff, and cultivate an environment where there is empathy, compassion and respect in every patient and family encounter.
In other work enhancing the patient experience, frontline staff at TBRHSC continue to show their commitment to patients and families by submitting ideas and funding applications to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation’s Family CARE (Care Advancement Recommended by Employees) Grant program. This program allows staff to apply for the grants to buy some of the “little things” that are not funded through regular channels. Their innovative ideas for small changes make a big impact on patient care. Last month, 74 grants totalling $139,265 were announced for patient care upgrades at TBRHSC for 2024-2025. Thank you to the staff who submitted applications for their creativity and commitment to making the care experience at TBRHSC better for patients and families.
Last month, we celebrated Indigenous Nurses Day (May 12) and National Nursing Week (May 12 to 18) by recognizing the hard work and dedication of our nurses. Nurses make up the largest group of employees at TBRHSC and these recognition events provide an opportunity to celebrate their clinical excellence, compassion and professionalism. Part of the recognition events included awards and bursaries specifically for nurses at TBRHSC. The dedicated nurses at TBRHSC work tirelessly, and I want to express my sincerest gratitude to all nurses for their incredible contributions in providing exceptional care to patients here in Northwestern Ontario.
To improve patient care for the region, TBRHSC has been working with the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC) at University Health Network (UHN) to co-develop a cardiovascular surgery (CVS) program at our Hospital. We are in an exciting stage of the project, where 76,000 square feet of space will be renovated and expanded to accommodate a new comprehensive CVS program that will allow TBRHSC to complete vital cardiac procedures, reduce wait times for urgent and elective procedures and ensure timely access to essential services in the region. Construction activities have begun on the northwest side of the main Hospital building, and it is exciting to see the progress being made. Keep an eye on our social media pages for construction updates.
Before the Board breaks for summer, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Board members for another year of service. Your leadership, dedication, and passion are paramount to improving health care for the patients and families of Northwestern Ontario.
In closing, I wish you a safe, and healthy summer.
Patricia Lang
Chair, Board of Directors,
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre