Today, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre celebrated over $2 million in funding from the North West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) to expand the Regional Critical Care Response Program (RCCR), improving access to critical care services for patients across Northwestern Ontario.

RCCR is an innovative eHealth strategy that leverages Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) to facilitate videoconferencing for real-time assessment of critically ill patients. It connects eleven of the Northwest community Emergency Departments and Intensive Care Units, as well as four remote nursing stations, to critical care trained physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists right here at our Hospital, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our Hospital is home to the only level 3 critical care unit in Northwestern Ontario and is the lead trauma centre within the North West LHIN. As such, patients throughout the region are transferred to Thunder Bay when they require that level of critical care. Through RCCR, regional patients benefit from immediate access to experts in critical care and reduced transport times. It also reduces avoidable and unnecessary patient transfers by providing delivery of care closer to home.

The funding announced today will support a three year pilot project to expand the program and hire additional nurses in order to better support the level of critical care delivered across the region.

Quotes

“The Regional Critical Care Response Program exemplifies Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s commitment to improving access to quality care for the population of Northwestern Ontario. RCCR enables acutely-ill patients to receive care within their communities and prioritize urgent transportation needs for critically-ill patients. In the span of two years, the program has improved transfer times for patients to under four hours by nearly 40%. Critical Care Services Ontario applauds the Hospital’s innovation and the leadership of Dr. Michael Scott who championed this program, which has clearly resulted in improved services for patients.”

Dr. Bernard Lawless, Physician Lead, Critical Care Services Ontario

“I am proud of our Government’s investment in the Regional Critical Care Response Program. This Program, through the use of technology, results in increased access to care for patients in their home communities, as well as improved prioritization of urgent transfers. In addition to improving care for patients, it also reduces the stress placed on families and friends. I commend Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences for developing this innovative approach to critical care which is another example of how it continually strives for improved patient outcomes throughout Northwestern Ontario.”

Bill Mauro, MPP Thunder Bay – Atikokan

“The Regional Critical Care Response Program significantly improves care for our regional patients and their families. This innovative approach enables health care providers to provide timely assessment and management for patients through the use of technology. This program is a meaningful example of how collaboration and partnerships really improve care and experiences for our regional patients by providing quality critical care, closer to home.

Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, Executive Vice President, Patient Care Services, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

“RCCR promotes a culture of patient safety and responsiveness, acute care education, and sharing of best practices. Most importantly, it results in better outcomes for our patients and families through earlier access to specialized treatments, shorter transfer times, and potentially eliminating the need to transfer a patient at all, resulting in exceptional care closer to home. We are grateful to the Northwest LHIN and our Ministry champions for their support throughout the development and now expansion of this critical program.”

Dr. Michael Scott, Chief of Critical Care, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

“The Regional Critical Care Response (RCCR) Program connects care providers in small and rural communities to critical care specialists in Thunder Bay through videoconferencing. In doing so, the RCCR Program continues to play a critical role in the health of people living in Northwestern Ontario. Critically ill patients once stabilized at their community hospital can in certain cases remain in their home community rather than transfer out to a larger Centre. There is great benefit to physicians in the region as they can access assistance of clinical experts 24 hours every day of the week at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. The North West LHIN recognizes the leadership provided by Dr. Michael Scott, Critical Care LHIN Lead for advancing this significant system improvement!”

Laura Kokocinski, CEO, North West Loc al Health Integration Network

“The RCCR program is an invaluable service to not only the Geraldton District Hospital, but the entire region. It allows our patients the opportunity to achieve the best chance at a positive outcome thanks to timely care provided by a specialized team of experts from Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, as well as local practitioners working together and providing exceptional care closer to home.”

Laurie Heerema, Chief Nursing Executive and Director of Patient Services, Geraldton District Hospital

Some in the hospital need close monitoring due to the seriousness of their injury or illness. Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Medical Emergency Team (MET) and Regional Critical Care Response (RCCR) program are essential services that deliver high quality critical care to countless patients throughout Northwestern Ontario, improving the quality of care and patient outcomes.

MET is a group of specially trained health care providers who provide life saving interventions outside the doors of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). MET works throughout the Hospital responding to the needs of seriously ill or injured patients to prevent further deterioration.

The MET team consists of an ICU nurse and a physician who are supported by an interdisciplinary team of health care professionals who work together to provide high quality patient care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Early medical intervention by MET has resulted in a documented reduction of in-hospital cardiac arrests and improved patient safety.

The RCCR program is an innovative eHealth strategy that uses videoconferencing through the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) for patient assessments who require transfer to Thunder Bay. All eleven community hospitals and four nursing stations in Northwestern Ontario have the ability to directly connect with critical care trained physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists at our Hospital.

Through RCCR, regional patients benefit from immediate access to experts in critical care, reduced transport times, and delivery of care closer to home. There has also been a reduction in the number of transports, and reduced travel expenses for patients, families and the health care system.

 “The intensive care services provided by MET and RCCR are very beneficial to patients and their families across the region,” said Edie Hart, Clinical Lead for the RCCR program. “As an example, we experienced an ice storm in April 2017 that hit the Northwest and halted all city activity within Thunder Bay for 48 hours. ORNGE was grounded, no flights were coming or going, and there were two critically ill patients in Fort Frances and Geraldton. The RCCR doctor, nurse, and respiratory therapist were able to virtually connect multiple times throughout the day, supporting the staff in the regional hospitals to provide the necessary life saving interventions until both patients were safely transferred to our Hospital.”

Medical emergencies can happen anywhere, any time. When they do, a new program provides critically ill patients across Northwestern Ontario with enhanced support and service. Earlier today, the new program was demonstrated via videoconference at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and Sioux Lookout Meno-Ya-Win Health Centre.

“The Regional Critical Care Response Program improves care for regional patients,” said Dr. Michael Scott, Critical Care Physician Lead. “Healthcare providers, linked by technology, can provide assessment and management for timelier care for patients. It is an exciting collaboration to deliver exceptional critical care.”

Made possible through funding from the North West Local Health Integration Network (North West LHIN), the Regional Critical Care Response (RCCR) Program is an innovative eHealth strategy that leverages Ontario Telehealth Network (OTN) to facilitate videoconferencing for real-life patient assessment for patients requiring transfer to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC). TBRHSC has the only level 3 critical care unit and is the lead trauma centre within the North West LHIN.

“The RCCR Program exemplifies integration through the sharing of expertise amongst all hospitals in the North West LHIN by leveraging technology. A number of potential benefits can be realized including better outcomes for patients through earlier access to specialized treatments, shorter transfer times, or even the opportunity to eliminate the need to transfer a patient, bringing care closer to home.” Laura Kokocinski, CEO, North West Local Health Integration Network

The RCCR Program connects 11 of the Northwest community Emergency Departments and Intensive Care Units (ICU) to critical care trained physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists at TBRHSC. The RCCR Program can be accessed 24/7 for adult patients who are critically ill or medically unstable. Calls to the RCCR Program are attended to by an Intensivist and a specially trained critical care nurse. Additional medical services may join the call, including respiratory therapy, the critical care pharmacist, dietician, trauma Nurse Practitioner, general surgery, neurosurgery, etc.

“Real-time patient assessment prepares patients for transfer via Ornge sooner. The opportunity and funding to develop this collaborative partnership and leverage technology brings critical care and trauma expertise to patients across Northwestern Ontario,” said Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, EVP, Patient Care at TBRHSC.

Dave Murray, CEO, Meno Ya Win Health Centre in Sioux Lookout and the RCCR Program project Sponsor, noted several advantages of the Program. “Videoconferencing will allow for a real time evaluation of the patient from the inter-professional perspective. Sending, transporting and receiving team members will be able to simultaneously communicate and provide an expedited, timely and safe transfer of the patient,” he said.

The RCCR Program began March 31, 2015 at Lake of the Woods District Hospital in Kenora, Meno Ya Win Health Centre in Sioux Lookout, Dryden Regional Health Centre and La Verendrye Hospital in Fort Frances. Atikokan General Hospital, Wilson Memorial Hospital in Marathon, Manitouwadge General Hospital and The McCaulsland Hospital in Terrace Bay will join by July 1, 2015 and Nipigon District Memorial Hospital, Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital in Red Lake and Geraldton District Hospital by September 15, 2015.

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