Mental Health
St. Boniface’s Mental Health Program provides multidisciplinary professional psychiatric and psychological services to adults of all ages.
Services consist of 30 inpatient beds with over 400 patients admitted annually. Outpatient services have more than 13,000 visits annually.
A hospital-wide Critical Incident Stress Management Program, for staff, is coordinated through the Mental Health Program.
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Program at St. Boniface Hospital
What is rTMS?
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.
Benefits
Patients who respond to treatment typically see improvements in their mood, energy, and/or concentration. However, it is important to note that rTMS does not cure depression, and other treatments such as medication or ongoing psychotherapy may be enhanced by rTMS but are likely still necessary to maintain wellness.
Other benefits to rTMS treatment include:
- Few side effects, typically only headaches and fatigue
- It is non-invasive, so no sedation is necessary
- Takes a maximum of two hours per day
Referral
The rTMS program accepts referrals from psychiatrists, general practitioners and nurse practitioners. Patients cannot self-refer to this program. St. Boniface Hospital has the only program in the province offering rTMS at no cost, so all Manitobans, regardless of health region, may be referred.
To refer a patient, we require the following documentation:
- Referral form
- A list of all of the patients’ current medications including past trials and reasons for discontinuation
- Any other relevant reports or documents.
Once collected, this information can be faxed to our program, 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.
Contact
Ph: 204-237-2303
Fax: 204-233-8051
Email: rtms@sbgh.mb.ca
Address:
M4-McEwen Building (4th Floor)
St. Boniface Hospital
363 Tache Avenue
Hours of operation:
Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
*rTMS cannot be offered on an emergent basis and should not be considered for crisis situations. Please utilize local crisis services as needed.