Board Chair Message - February 2007

I want to commend the members of our Emergency Department as well as the many supporting teams who overcome significant resource challenges to help people get effective care at TBRHSC. Acute healthcare is complicated and I recognize that we take every opportunity to do all we can to simplify the pathway to care. But, it’s not easy. It takes skilled people. And, it takes great technology.

We have one of the busiest Emergency Departments in the country. Yet our “wait-times” are among the lowest. The record shows that we assess and provide care for people as promptly as any comparable large acute care site. It is even more impressive knowing that our patient “acuity” is often very high and takes longer to treat.

We are also leading the province in a number of “wait-time” indicators including Diagnostic Imaging and certain surgical procedures. I want to commend our skilled support teams. They make us all proud. Behind the scenes, there is a labyrinth of technology supporting the Laboratory, Pharmacy, Nutrition and Food Services, Cancer Care, Renal, Cardiology, and so on.

The amount of information exchange is enormous. But it appears effortless, thanks to our IT/IS staff. Our electronic communication systems are a marvel; literally, state-of-the-art. We are a leader. I feel that it is important that we recognize all the healthcare workers that are specially trained to make a lot of important things happen in a short period of time.

I have noted on other occasions that our Telehealth strategy enables patients, physicians, and other healthcare workers to work with each other even though separated by hundreds of kilometres. No longer does distance and time play such a huge role in care. In this regard, it is safe to say that we are the envy of many “big city” hospitals. As an extension of our care, partners from across Northeast and Southern Ontario have launched a comprehensive Telehealth strategy that enables us to present better patient care “across the whole province”.

As I reflect on our willingness to work with each healthcare stakeholder, it is gratifying to know that we are being diligent and doing all that we can to connect with our regional partners regarding other healthcare matters including business office practices, biomedical support, nutritional services support, website development, Pathology and Laboratory tests, and Diagnostic Imaging, to name a few.

Being “connected” with a comprehensive healthcare communication strategy from the moment you step into TBRHSC – and beyond - is a large undertaking. Well done!

Again, thank you everyone for your continued support.

Ron Nelson, Chair
Board of Directors

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