Dr. Brown Fosters Culture of Organ Donation at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

Dr. Bryce Brown
Dr. Bryce Brown is also the physician lead for the Organ Donation and Tissue Transplantation Committee at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

Dr. Bryce Brown, part of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre family since 2006, is one of 50 Hospital Donation Physicians (HDPs) working to support organ and tissue donation within Ontario hospitals. Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN), Ontario’s organ and tissue donation and transplant agency, recently announced that HDPs were available to staff to provide educational support and share expertise.

Following closely the example set by successful international programs, this is the second phase of a plan to create an integrated network of physicians, both within and external to the hospital. Physician engagement is credited with improving donation rates by encouraging a culture of donation within hospitals.

There are 1,600 people in Ontario waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, but the reality is, the opportunity for donation is quite rare. Dr. Brown will work with the existing donation team to ensure that when donation is a possibility, families have the knowledge and opportunity to make a lifesaving choice.

The shift to a more integrated network of donation physicians, to provide educational support and share expertise, has already increased the number of potential donors referred to TGLN. As of November 30, there were 5 donors from TBRHSC in 2015. One donor can save up to eight lives and improve the lives of up to 75 others through tissue.

Dr. Brown is also the physician lead for the Organ Donation and Tissue Transplantation Committee at TBRHSC. After the completion of his MD at University of Manitoba in 2001, he went on to complete his residency in Emergency Medicine in 2006, and his fellowship in Critical Care in 2010.

Are you a registered donor? Help TBRHSC lead by example, visit www.BeADonor.ca to learn more and to register as an organ and tissue donor.