SUPPORTING A CULTURE OF PATIENT SAFETY AND QUALITY CARE
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Police Officers & Nurses Team Up to Help People with Addiction Issues |
The Windsor Police Service and Windsor Regional Hospital announced the launch of a new pilot program to help individuals struggling with substance use disorder and related challenges.
The Nurse and Police Team (NPT) program pairs nursing professionals from WRH with frontline police officers for the purpose of more effectively responding to non-emergency, substance use-related incidents.
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EUS Machine Live at WRH! |
A new, state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment machine went live at Windsor Regional Hospital.
The Endoscopic Ultrasound Machine combines a high-frequency, ultrasound probe with an endoscope to examine the wall of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, rectum, pancreas, and beyond.
Prior to having a EUS machine, Erie St. Clair LHIN residents were referred to London Health Sciences for procedures that typically take 30 minutes.
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Third MRI Up & Running at WRH |
A third MRI machine at Windsor Regional Hospital is now in operation adding thousands of additional scans for patients on an annual basis.
In December 2022, the provincial government announced funding for 27 new MRI machines across Ontario including one at WRH’s Ouellette Campus.
Previously, just over 22,000 MRI scans were performed annually at WRH - that number has increased to nearly 33,000, helping to address wait times.
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WRH Enhances ENT Surgical Precision |
Windsor Regional Hospital was proud to announce the acquisition of the latest ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) Navigation System, revolutionizing the precision and outcomes of certain ENT sinus surgeries.
The cutting-edge technology integrates real-time visualization, surgical planning, and instrument tracking, enabling surgeons to navigate complex anatomical structures with unparalleled accuracy and confidence with certain procedures.
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More Timely Care for Paediatric Patients |
Windsor Regional Hospital introduced a new service aimed at helping support paediatric patients who attend the Emergency Departments during certain time periods to receive more timely care.
The Ontario Ministry of Health has provided WRH with funding to launch the Paediatric Emergency Diversion Service (PEDs) to reduce the time paediatric patients spend in the Emergency Department and, in turn, optimizing ED resources and reducing overcrowding.
After a successful trial period, the service was expanded to 7 days a week.
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Safety First: WRH Introduces Evolv Detector System |
Prioritizing the safety and security of both patients and healthcare professionals, Windsor Regional Hospital was proud to announce the installation of new state-of-the-art technology to detect the presence of weapons in both Emergency Department locations.
The Evolv Weapons Detection System uses powerful sensor technology with artificial intelligence (AI) to provide safer, more accurate threat detection at unprecedented volume and speed.
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Cyberattack Hits Local Hospitals |
On October 23, 2023, Bluewater Health, Chatham Kent Health Alliance, Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and Windsor Regional Hospital, along with our shared service provider TransForm Shared Service Organization, were the victims of a system-wide cyberattack.
Hospital staff quickly pivoted and were able to continue to provide exceptional care for patients while our IT team worked around the clock behind the scenes to restore hospital systems.
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Scalp-Cooling Service Now Available |
The Windsor Regional Cancer Centre was proud to offer a new service for cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy.
The Paxman Scalp Cooling System (PSCS), also known as a cold cap, is now available onsite for patients to book to help reduce hair loss during chemotherapy.
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Linear Accelerator Expansion Project Starting |
In March, construction began on a fourth Linear Accelerator (LINAC) to conduct radiation procedures for Windsor Regional cancer centre patients.
Currently, Windsor Regional Hospital performs approximately 30,000 radiation procedures annually. The goal is to get the 4th LINAC up and running by late fall 2024.
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PURSUIT OF A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART HOSPITAL
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Major Planning Milestone Achieved |
The New Windsor/Essex Acute Care Hospital project achieved a major planning milestone with the submission of its Stage 1.3 (formerly Stage 2) plan to the Ministry of Health in April 2023. This was followed by a Stage 1.3 submission for redevelopment at the Ouellette Campus in December 2023.
The submissions are the result of extensive collaboration with many partners within the hospital, the community, and the province.
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Maamaawi Gidoozhichigemin Ceremony |
Dignitaries and leadership from regional First Nation communities joined Windsor Regional Hospital and community leaders to honour the land where the New Windsor/Essex Acute Care Hospital will be built and the connection of the original peoples who resided in the area and received healing from the medicines of Mother Earth.
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The New Hospital Planning Team is Growing |
In preparation for the next planning stage, which will include indicative design, contract preparation and tendering for a final design-builder, the Project Management Office team for the new hospital is growing.
This year, the project leadership team was expanded to include a wide range of expertise in the areas of Operational Readiness, Project Delivery, Planning and Design, and Information, Automation, and Communication Technology.
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Shaping the Future of Healthcare with Technology |
Defining what it means to be "state-of-the-art" starts long before shovels hit the ground for new hospital construction projects. This year, Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) staff, professional staff and hospital users began this journey with the help of Angus Connect.
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Navigating Change: The Operational Readiness Journey Begins |
When it comes to planning a new acute care hospital for patients in Windsor-Essex, designing and constructing a state-of-the-art facility is just the tip of the iceberg. This year, Windsor Regional Hospital began developing an Operational Readiness and Transition Plan to ensure success in the new facility on opening day and beyond.
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FOCUS ON RESEARCH
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Tayfour-Emara Research & Education Fund Gets Another Boost |
A pair of local surgeons kept their legacy of giving to the Windsor-Essex community alive.
In 2022, Dr. Fouad Tayfour and Dr. Barry Emara came forward with a $250,000 donation to establish the ‘Tayfour-Emara Excellence in Research & Education Fund’.
For 2023, they upped the ante with a $330,000 boost aimed at continuing the focus on healthcare research and training with a goal of better patient care while also attracting the next generation of physicians and healthcare providers to the region.
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$345,000 Awarded For Health Research! |
WE-SPARK Health Institute and its funding partners awarded 18 research grants totaling $345,000 to tackle local health challenges in its latest round of funding.
The grants involve collaborators across WE-SPARK's five supporting institutions - Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, the University of Windsor and Windsor Regional Hospital - along with numerous community members, students and volunteers across Windsor-Essex.
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RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE - AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS
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Mary Cunningham Wins Lois Fairley Nursing Award |
The 16th annual Registered Nurses Association of Ontario Lois Fairley Nursing Award went to a nurse who truly goes above and beyond for her patients.
While we have many dedicated and wonderful nurses who make a difference every day in our community, there can only be one 'Nurse of the Year' and Mary Cunningham earned that honour for 2023.
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Nurses Honoured with Recognition for Excellence, Education Funding |
As part of National Nursing Week, nurses at Windsor Regional Hospital were honoured to recognize nursing excellence and continuing education efforts.
Seven nurses were given the Jeanne Mance Extraordinary Nursing Care Award which goes to a nurse who continually goes above and beyond to provide compassionate and professional care to patients and exemplifies teamwork, compassion, stewardship, and respect.
Four WRH nurses were also named as recipients of the annual Lori Dupont Bursary, which assists staff with continuing education costs. Each successful candidate is awarded up to $1,000.
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WRH Nurse Wins Queen’s Jubilee Award |
It was quite the honour for a long-time Windsor Regional Hospital employee!
RN Diane Hernandez received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Community Hero Award!
At a ceremony in Toronto, Diane received her pin from Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk.
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Cancer Centre Volunteers Receive Award |
A pair of long-time volunteers at our Windsor Regional Cancer Centre were the latest recipients of the 2022 Erie St. Clair Regional Cancer Program Community Champion Award.
This award is given to individuals significantly impacting cancer care in our region - and Bill Ladouceur and Darcy Haggith did just that!
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Nurses Receive Daniel Johnson Jr. Award |
For over 10 years, the family of Daniel Johnson Jr. has honoured the memory of their loved one by giving nurses at Windsor Regional Hospital the opportunity to enhance their clinical skills in the area of palliative care.
The recipients of the 2023 Daniel Johnson Award were oncology nurses Laurie Antonucci, Celina Bae and Kristin Plantus.
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WRH Awarded for Championing Organ & Tissue Donation |
Windsor Regional Hospital was recognized by Ontario Health (Trillium Gift of Life Network) for its outstanding efforts to integrate organ and tissue donation into quality end-of-life care in 2022/23.
In total, WRH was presented with three awards:
- Hospital Achievement Award - Provincial Conversion Rate (7th year)
- Hospital Achievement Award - Provincial Eligible Approach Rate (3rd year)
- Award of Excellence (4th year)
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Dr. Richard Johnson Remembered as Kidney Dialysis 'Pioneer' |
A long-time staple in the local healthcare community was honoured for his innovation and dedication to the world of medicine.
Dr. Richard Johnson passed away in 2018, but his impact on kidney care will live on forever having pioneered the Chronic Renal Dialysis Program - a first of its kind in Canada.
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WRH Nurses Win Trillium Gift of Life Awards |
Two nurses at Windsor Regional Hospital were recognized by the Trillium Gift of Life Network for being exceptional advocates for organ and tissue donation.
Intensive Care Unit nurses Andrea Brearley and Terra Popovski were awarded the 2023 Provincial Donation Champion Award for excellence in fulfilling Ontario Health's (TGLN) mandate to save and enhance more lives through the gift of organ and tissue donation.
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WINDSOR REGIONAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION / FUNDRAISING
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WRHF Golf Tournament Welcomes Special Chair |
The Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation was proud to announce Jane Boyd as the Honorary Chairperson for the 2023 edition of the Foundation's Charity Golf Tournament.
Jane is the widow of Dr. Richard Boyd. The Dr. Boyd Men's Health Program at Windsor Regional Hospital was founded several years ago in honor of Dr. Boyd, the former Chief of Surgery and Head of Urology at WRH.
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WRHF Welcomes New Board Chair |
The Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation was excited to welcome John Jedlinski as its new President and Board Chair.
John took over for the outgoing Beth Ann Prince who served as the Foundation’s President and Board Chair for the past three years.
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Banner Year for Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation |
Despite COVID-19 pandemic pressures, the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation raised a whopping $3,514,000 for Windsor Regional Hospital in the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
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Corvettes Collect Cash! |
Local car enthusiasts put the pedal to the metal in 2023, making a large donation to Windsor Regional Hospital.
The Corvette Club of Windsor held their annual waterfront car show raising $26,000 for the Paediatric Oncology Satellite Unit at Met Campus.
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Shriners Bring Holiday Cheer to Paediatrics |
The Moramos Shrine Club of Windsor stepped up once again during the holiday season!
A long-standing partner of the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation - the club returned with a $5,000 donation for Windsor Regional Hospital's Paediatric Program.
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Thank You From Hats On For Healthcare! |
The Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation was thrilled to announce the 2024 edition of Hats On For Healthcare was a resounding success!
Through generous donations and participation, the initial fundraising goal of $75,000 was reached with a fundraising grand total of $76,485 to go towards the Inpatient Oncology Diagnosis and Treatment at Windsor Regional Hospital!
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Local Pizzeria Serves Up Another Dough-nation |
As part of Heart Month each February, Antonino’s Original Pizza hosts its annual heart-shaped pizza fundraising campaign in support of cardiac patients in Windsor-Essex.
Thanks to the community’s generosity, Antonino’s donated $7,824 this year through the initiative, which, since its launch in 2011, has raised more than $30,000 for Windsor Regional Hospital’s Cardiac Program!
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ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY
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Local Grade 8 Student Delivering Smiles to Patients |
A student from Academie Ste-Cecile in Windsor spread positivity among patients at Windsor Regional Hospital.
As part of her Middle Years Program community project, Grade 8 student Divya Bagga created more than 100 "Get Well Soon" cards to be distributed throughout the hospital.
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St. Clair College Students Keeping Senior Patients Busy |
A group of students from St. Clair College chipped in to make sure some of our senior patients stay stimulated while spending time in the hospital.
Students from the Fashion Design Program designed and created more than 25 fidget blankets to be given to patients - the blankets are therapeutic lap-sized quilts that provide sensory and tactile stimulation for the restless hands of those with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia.
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WRH Volunteers Ramping Back Up |
With the majority of COVID-19 restrictions now lifted, many volunteers returned to our campuses with a mission to provide support, comfort and assistance to our patients, families and staff.
More than 300 volunteers contribute hours each month serving many departments across the hospital and we're more than happy to have them back!
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