Angèle Brunelle - TBRHSC Board Chair, Dr. George Derbyshire, Chief of Staff, Andrée Robichaud - TBRHSC President & CEO

September 13, 2011

Accreditation Canada has officially announced that TBRHSC has been recognized and commended for two prestigious “National Leading Practices”. Making its announcement in a report to TBRHSC, Accreditation Canada notes Patient and Family Centred Care and Telemedicine as examples for other healthcare providers to follow.

President and CEO Andrée Robichaud notes, “Several positive, statements were made by the surveyors regarding the exceptional work done by all units, staff, physicians and volunteers throughout the organization. The Lead Surveyor stated that she would like to work here. Now, that is the ultimate compliment for an organization“!

What are Leading Practices?

Leading practices are commendable or exemplary organizational practices that demonstrate high quality leadership and service delivery. Accreditation Canada considers these practices worthy of recognition as organizations strive for excellence in their specific field, or commendable for what they contribute to healthcare as a whole. They may have been identified as a leading practice in a particular geographic region, or for a particular service delivery area or health issue.

Angèle Brunelle, Chair of the Board of Directors, states, “The organization continues to embrace quality improvement opportunities which promote patient safety and Patient and Family Centred Care. It is all about being healthy together”.

Patient and Family Centred Care (PFCC)

Partnering with our patients and families, we have established a culture of Caring Together. Corporate strategies to engage the entire organization in the shift to PFCC began in early 2009. Through our corporate commitment to our Model of Care, we have created an environment that supports and fosters patient/family participation at all levels of the organization from “board room to bedside”. The organization has already seen positive outcomes related to our adoption of PFCC. The success of this Model of Care is reflected in positive patient satisfaction scores through the NRC Picker Patient Satisfaction Survey.

Together, we are embarking on a journey with a richer appreciation of what it takes to work in collaborative partnership with patients, families, staff and physicians among all disciplines across all departments.

Dr. George Derbyshire, Chief of Staff, stated: “TBRHSC is dedicated to providing leadership with overall goals and direction to the team of people providing services. As noted by the survey team, there is a strong competent medical care team and patients are satisfied with the level and service of care".

Telemedicine Services Family Visitation Using Telemedicine Technology

With the use of Telemedicine, it is now possible to link multiple communities simultaneously. Videoconferencing connections have been placed on every in-patient unit. Now all patients can be reunited with their families and community supports by video link. TBRHSC is the major health services provider for the Northwest LHIN, a geographical area that is the size of France. The population is sparse (250,000) with approximately 120,000 living in Thunder Bay and the remainder scattered in small communities over the Northwest. For example, Fort Severn is a remote First Nations community 850 km north of Thunder Bay and accessible only by air or winter road. Telemedicine is a vital link to family and services outside their community. As one of the largest users of Telemedicine in Ontario, TBRHSC continues to find creative ways to bring healthcare closer to home.

TBRHSC has also been commended for:

1. An extensive internal and external stakeholder engagement process for the 2015 Strategic Plan
2. Strong relationships with community and regional partners
3. The large number of Quality Initiatives throughout the Organization
4. The concerted efforts that TBRHSC has made to minimize their impact on the environment
5. The overall commitment to excellence in care utilizing the Patient and Family Centred Care Model.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is pleased to announce that the organization has achieved a three-year Accreditation Award with an exceptional overall percentage rate of 97.2%.

Cathy Covino, Senior Director of Quality and Risk Management said, “TBRHSC can be proud of the results achieved. We continue to lead be a national leader with the quality of care provided here. Two leading practices are only examples of how we provide excellent care”.

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