rTMS clinic at St. Boniface Hospital

The rTMS clinic at St. Boniface Hospital was established in January 2012. rTMS stands for repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and is a treatment for people with depression who have a history of resistance to medication treatments and psychotherapy. rTMS is a treatment that has an effect on the brain’s electrical activity.  Magnetic pulses are delivered through a coil positioned close to the scalp to target specific areas of the brain. Since the pulses are sent more than once, it is called repetitive TMS, or rTMS. Typically, patients come for two sessions a day, Monday through Friday, for three to four weeks. A full course has a total of 30 sessions.

Appointments

The rTMS program accepts referrals from psychiatrists, general practitioners and nurse practitioners. Patients cannot self-refer to this program. To refer a patient, the following documentation is required:

• Referral form
• A list of all of the patient’s current medications, including past trials and reasons for discontinuation
• Any other relevant reports or documents

Once collected, this information can be faxed to the program, at 204-233-8051, and the patient will be assessed by our team. Please note that an assessment with one of our rTMS doctors does not guarantee that the patient will receive treatment. The doctor will determine whether the person is a good candidate for rTMS based on their symptoms and health history.

Note: rTMS cannot be offered on an emergent basis and should not be considered for crisis situations.  Please utilize local crisis services as needed.