Our History, Goals and Connections
The Regional Bariatric Care Centre at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre opened its’ doors in July 2010 as an integrated surgical assessment program for the care of obese and morbidly obese patients. Our team is committed to providing Patient and Family Centred Care, high quality pre surgical assessment and post surgical follow-up services for adults requiring weight loss surgery.
We collaborate with the surgeons at St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton as well as other Ontario Bariatric Surgery Centres of Excellence, where the surgery is performed.
We are a Centre that has established strong telemedicine links throughout Northern Ontario, as well with our provincial partners, to assist with assessment and follow-up in remote sites, to enable patients to be closer to home, travel less and still meet their assessment goals.
We are a member of the Ontario Bariatric Network, with representation on the Ontario Bariatric Network Advisory Group.
Our Team
Our health care team consists of an Endocrinologist, Nurse Practitioner, Social Worker, Psychologist, Kinesiologist, two Registered Dietitians, as well as Administrative Clerks and a Patient/Family Advisor. The team meets weekly to plan and assess program goals, review cases, create educational resources and ensure that standards of care are being met.
Our Process
The Thunder Bay Regional Bariatric Care Centre assesses and treats patients of North Western Ontario, implementing strategies, standards and protocols recommended by the Ontario Bariatric Network and approved by the Ministry of Health. Each person who is thinking about having surgery must have a comprehensive assessment and screening completed by the interdisciplinary team before being accepted for surgery.
The criterion for surgery includes the following:
- Body Mass Index (BMI = kg/m²) of at least 40
- BMI above 35 if you have medical problems such as diabetes mellitus or high blood pressure
- Tried many diets
- Motivated and willing to make eating and lifestyle changes
- Psychologically and medically fit for surgery
- Must commit to 5 years of post surgical follow-up with the team
Your Role
To determine if you are a candidate for surgery you must complete certain tests and come for many appointments to meet with members of the health care team. These appointments and tests are done to make sure you are safe and ready for surgery.
Some of the tests you may be scheduled for include:
You also must attend 2 education classes. The first orientation class describes the bariatric program and the expectations that you will need to meet. If you decide to have surgery you will also attend a pre-surgical class that further prepares you for your operation and educates you about the post operative dietary regime.
The decision to undergo bariatric surgery is one that will forever alter your lifestyle. You must have the desire and commitment, as well as all the necessary information to ensure that this surgery is right for you. All aspects of gastric bypass surgery, before, during and after, must be understood and very carefully considered.
The healthcare team at Thunder Bay Regional Bariatric Care Centre will endeavour to be sensitive to your needs and assist you in any way that we can to ensure that your experiences during this process are as manageable and satisfying as possible.
Guidelines:
Guidelines you must follow before surgery:
- Stop smoking 6 months before surgery
- 2 months before surgery:
- no caffeine
- no alcohol, beer or wine
- no carbonated beverages
- start taking multivitamin and mineral supplement
- 2 weeks before surgery;
- you follow a special diet
- you are given an education book to follow
Length of hospital stay:
- you stay in the hospital for a total of 3 days
Follow-up:
- In the first year after surgery, you are required to come to 4 to 6 appointments for comprehensive follow-up. This is very important to make sure that you are staying healthy and meeting your nutritional needs.
- You are seen once a year for 4 more years
Our Location
The Thunder Bay Regional Bariatric Care Centre
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
Medical Centre, Suite 104
984 Oliver Road,
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6V4
(T) 807-684-6058
(F) 807-344-7910