December, 2009

Message from: Ingrid Parkes, Chair, Board of Directors, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

We continue to embrace change at TBRHSC. These are exciting times for our healthcare teams. Looking for a new CEO, constructing our new Angioplasty Suite, supporting activities of the Medical School and other learners, enabling activities at the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute, and implementing Patient and Family Centred Care throughout, in partnership with our healthcare stakeholders, are just a few of the things that I am able to highlight. It is actually an impressive list of activity, each representing a significant plan of action.

Our CEO Search Committee is diligently following their plan. Advertisements are being placed in strategic multimedia for maximum exposure of our message. To Ron Saddington’s credit, the standard of leadership that he has set is exemplary. The Board of Directors is being kept apprised of all decisions as we move forward in our search.

In the meantime, it is appropriate to acknowledge the excellent work that our healthcare teams continue to provide. As you know, a spike in acute care activity including Febrile Respiratory Illness (FRI), Influenza Like Illness (ILI), and H1N1 Influenza literally overwhelmed our Emergency Department which then pushed our whole facility to the limit. Yet, we prevailed. The “restricted visitor” strategy enabled us to control the spread of Respiratory Illness from people coming into the facility as well as treat those who had been admitted for care. We successfully continued with our ambulatory care of patients as well as our surgical schedule. Well done, everyone. We do not minimize anything that was accomplished because we know that “flu” seasons come and go. We have learned valuable lessons from this wave of activity that will assist us to cope with the next.

Congratulations to our participants at the recent Ontario Hospital Association Annual Conference. We were honoured on a number of occasions for our outstanding work. Congratulations again go to Randy Mehagan and his team for winning yet another “Green Award”. It is an impressive legacy that tells everyone how environmentally safe we are delivering acute care at TBRHSC.

I continue to meet with members of Boards in hospitals in the region. We depend on each other to provide seamless care for patients and families and I am grateful for the cooperative spirit that exists among everyone. As he departs, I want to thank Meno Ya Win Health Centre CEO, Roger Walker for his tireless efforts at bringing teams of people together to transform care in Sioux Lookout, and wish him well as he moves to Timmins to take on the hospital CEO role there. In addition, our Board of Directors welcomes Douglas Semple as Acting CEO of Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre.

Finally, as we move through the Festive Season, I encourage each of us to take time to give thanks for the many healthcare privileges we enjoy including great acute care at TBRHSC. On behalf of the Board of Directors, as we “care together”, I wish the very best to each physician, staff member, volunteer, Foundation member, and healthcare business partner that helps us deliver Patient and Family Centred Care.

Thank you for your support.

Ingrid Parkes, Chair
Board of Directors