Bridge Northwest Program Celebrates 6-Month Milestone

This October marks six months since the launch of the Bridge Northwest Program — an important milestone in our regional journey to bring Meditech Expanse to partnering hospital Organizations across Northwestern Ontario.

Since our first Kickoff on April 1st, teams and working groups have been hard at work moving the program from planning & design into the building stage. This shift is where ideas turn into action: validation is wrapping up, content reviews are underway, and organizations are preparing for staff to see and explore workflows in the months ahead.

At the heart of this progress are our Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and champions. With representation from every hospital organization, working group, and healthcare discipline, these dedicated individuals bring their time, knowledge, and frontline expertise to shape how Expanse will support safe, high-quality care across the region. Whether working in clinical, technical, or support areas, champions have ensured that local perspectives are guiding regional design.

As we celebrate this milestone, we also look ahead. The next year will be focused on building, testing, and training — the most significant stage of the program. With SMEs continuing to guide this work, and with the support of staff and leaders at every organization, Bridge Northwest is building strong foundations for a shared future in digital health.

Together, we’ve achieved a lot in six months. Together, we’ll achieve even more in the months ahead.

Everyone is a builder.

The Bridge Northwest Change Lead, Sondra Seibel presented at the Regional HIM (Health Records) Meeting.

The session featured interactive activities such as “Expanse Speed Dating,” where participants mingled to share their thoughts and questions about Meditech Expanse, and “The Change Curve Check-In” where participants mapped themselves, their teams, and their leadership on the change curve. There was also a of discussion the program timeline and a lively Q&A.

Want to help your team learn more about Meditech Expanse the Bridge NW Program? A member of the Change Team can attend your team or committee meeting to share updates, answer questions, and discuss how Expanse may impact your work.

Contact: sondra.seibel@tbh.net or your Change Specialist to schedule a session.

The Bridge Northwest Program has officially entered Stage 2: Build, Test, Train of the Meditech Expanse implementation across Northwestern Ontario. This marks an important transition from Stage 1: Planning & Design into the program’s most in-depth and action-oriented phase — where ideas begin to take shape and move toward reality.

From Planning to Action

Stage 1 was about laying the foundation. Teams across the region collaborated to establish governance, identify Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and design the framework that would guide this transformation. Engagement with staff and leaders built trust and ensured early planning reflected the diverse needs of care settings across Northwestern Ontario.

What Stage 2 Means

Stage 2 will span more than a year and focuses on validating, building, testing, and preparing teams for the implementation of Meditech Expanse. This phase takes the work from high-level design into detailed execution:

• Validation Wrap-up: Working Groups will finalize the scope of Expanse.

• Content Review: Teams will begin detailed review of clinical content, customizing interventions, order sets, and templates for their sites.

• Exploration Events: Staff will get early opportunities to explore workflows, content, and hardware devices through demonstrations and consultations.

• Expanded Communications: This stage brings new opportunities for engagement, including Bridge Northwest Town Halls, leadership forums, and recognition of staff involvement across the region.

Looking Ahead

Stage 2 represents a pivotal period in bringing Expanse to life. While technical and clinical content will evolve, the program will continue to rely on the voices of staff, leaders, and partners throughout the region. Their input will ensure the system reflects the realities of Northwestern Ontario and supports the delivery of safe, efficient, and patient-centered care

On the Road to Readiness: Technical Team Visits Hospitals Across Northwestern Ontario

Over the past months, the Bridge Northwest Technical Readiness team has been on the road, travelling more than 3,300 kilometers across Northwestern Ontario. Their journey began in Thunder Bay at St. Joesph’s Care Group & Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and then covered stops at all 12 partner organizations, in NWO.

With support from local IT departments, the team documented current-state technology and engaged clinical teams in discussions about their unique areas of focus. These early conversations took place while staff were still learning about what the future with Meditech Expanse will look like, but they marked an important first step in building strong relationships and gathering valuable preliminary information.

The completion of these visits represents an important milestone in preparing organizations across the region for the implementation of the new electronic health record system, Meditech Expanse.

🎉 Event Highlights

Dryden Regional Health Centre celebrated its Staff Recognition BBQ with a fun ‘Meditech Expanse Under Construction’ theme. Bridge Northwest Change Specialists joined the event, serving lunch and answering questions about the upcoming Meditech Expanse build.

🎉 Event Highlights

The Bridge Northwest team recently held information booths at several summer staff events with partnering organizations. It was a great opportunity to connect, answer questions, and raise awareness about the upcoming MEDITECH Expanse transformation. Thank you to all who stopped by to learn more and share your insights!

The Bridge Northwest Change Team attended some of St. Joseph’s Care Group’s Employee Recognition Month events for their hardworking staff!

The Bridge Northwest Change Specialists were proud to join in on the celebrations at TBRHSC’s Staff Appreciation BBQ!

Bridge Northwest’s Technical Readiness Lead and Change Specialist were excited to join in on the games, food and celebrations during Nipigon District Memorial Hospital’s Staff Appreciation Week!

Training & Resources Portal

The Bridge Northwest Training and Resources Portal—is a member-access platform offering a suite of practical tools to support your transition to MEDITECH Expanse and related digital systems. The purpose of this page is to ensure teams across Northwestern Ontario have on-demand access to the resources they need—anytime, anywhere. As training, resources and tools develop throughout the Program, the portal will populate.

Portal Access Instructions 

Step 1: Visit bridgenw.ca

Step 2: Login. You will be prompted to Request Access.

Step 3: Submit with your Organization Email. Then check your inbox for login credentials.

Step 4: Navigate to Training & Resources Page (Under Support tab in Homepage ribbon)

Step 5: All set! Explore available resources.

Virtual Demonstrations

Bridge Northwest hosted series of live virtual demonstrations showcasing the new MEDITECH Expanse system that will soon be implemented across partner hospitals in Northwestern Ontario.

These sessions were designed to provide a first-hand look at how Expanse will support workflows across various settings. If you’re curious about how the new system will look and feel, feel free to explore the various Expanse Demo recordings uploaded to our Training & Resource Portal.

• Meditech Expanse General Overview

• Expanse Ambulatory Module Clinic Visit

• Expanse Emergency Room Visit

• Expanse Chart Overview

• Acute Visit Admission to Discharge

🎉 Event Highlights

Throughout the month of April, Bridge Northwest’s Change Management Team visited 17 Partnering Organization locations across Northwestern Ontario to officially launch the Program and first look into MEDITECH Expanse.

Kickoff was a collaborative effort between the Bridge Northwest Change Management Team, Executive Sponsors, Communications and dedicated Expanse Leads across our Partnering Organizations. Together, they provided valuable information, on-the-ground support, and took time to answer questions to ensure teams felt informed and supported throughout each event.

These events marked more than just a launch — they were a celebration of collaboration, insight, and regional involvement. We were thrilled to connect in person with so many of you and to see the energy and excitement for what’s ahead.

📊 By the Numbers

Thanks to your enthusiasm and engagement, here’s what we accomplished:

• 12 Partnering Organizations
• 17 Locations
• Over 1200 in-person touchpoints across Northwestern Ontario Partnering Organization sites.
• Over 400 Virtual Demonstration Participants
• Over 500 Interactions to our new Bridge Northwest website

💬 Your Feedback Matters

We want to hear from you! Your insights will help guide the next steps of Bridge Northwest’s Expanse Program.

Please take a few minutes to complete our short survey:

👉 Change Readiness Assessment Survey