Dr. Bonnie Lynn Johnsen – Family Doctor | Thunder Bay, ON

Dr. Bonnie Lynn Johnsen is a Family Doctor. Practicing at a family doctor practice in Thunder Bay, ON, she is dedicated to providing high-quality, comprehensive, and patient-centered family medical care. She is registered with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) and practices in accordance with the standards set by this regulatory body and the principles of modern family medicine. Her focus is providing continuous and comprehensive primary medical care for individuals and families across all ages and stages of life. This includes preventative care, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses, and management of ongoing health needs, serving as the central point for patient care. She serves patients of all ages, from newborns and infants through to children, adolescents, adults, and seniors.

Dr. Bonnie Lynn Johnsen completed her Medical Degree. She brings valuable clinical experience to the practice. She has developed skills or a strong interest in areas such as comprehensive primary care within family practice. She is also dedicated to ongoing professional development to stay current with the latest advancements in family medicine.

Key aspects of her practice philosophy include fostering continuity of care and building long-term relationships with patients and their families, providing a trusted medical home; a commitment to evidence-based medicine, integrating the latest research with clinical expertise to provide the highest standard of care. She provides consultations in English.

Dr. Bonnie Lynn Johnsen provides comprehensive family medical care for a wide variety of health concerns affecting patients of all ages, including but not limited to:

Adult Common Health Issues

• Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) - Initial Assessment & Management: Assessing patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of Restless Legs Syndrome (an urge to move the legs, usually accompanied by uncomfortable sensations, typically worse at rest/in the evening, and relieved by movement). This includes ruling out secondary causes (e.g., iron deficiency, kidney failure, pregnancy, certain medications).
• Anemia (Iron Deficiency, Vitamin B12/Folate Deficiency - Diagnosis & Management): Managing common types of nutritional anemia such as iron deficiency anemia (oral or intravenous iron supplementation, dietary advice to increase iron intake and absorption, investigation for source of chronic blood loss if suspected - e.g., GI bleed, heavy menses) and megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 or folate deficiency (oral or parenteral supplementation, dietary counseling, investigation for underlying causes like pernicious anemia, malabsorption syndromes - celiac disease, Crohn's, post-gastric surgery, medication effects - metformin, PPIs).
• Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) Infection - Testing & Eradication Therapy: Prescribing evidence-based eradication therapy regimens (typically involving a combination of antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor - PPI) for confirmed H. pylori infection, according to local guidelines and resistance patterns. Providing patient education on medication adherence and potential side effects.

Preventative Health Topics

• Travel Medicine Advice & Routine/Travel Vaccinations: Helping you prepare for safe and healthy international travel with essential medical guidance, ensuring you are up-to-date on immunizations and equipped with preventative strategies and medications for common and serious travel-related illnesses.
• Health Equity & Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Discussion & Resource Navigation: Recognizing and sensitively discussing how social determinants of health (e.g., income, housing, education, food security, access to services, discrimination, social isolation) impact a patient's health and well-being. Providing information and referrals to relevant community resources, social services, and support programs to help address these underlying factors.
• Occupational Health Screening & Advice (Basic Pre-placement, Return-to-Work): Guidance on maintaining health in the context of specific work environments and job demands, and initial evaluation for common work-related health issues.

Pediatric Common Issues

• Common Childhood Infections (Viral & Bacterial - Ear, Throat, Chest, Skin, GI): Diagnosing and treating frequent acute illnesses in children, such as otitis media (ear infections), streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat - with rapid testing if available), common colds and influenza, croup, bronchiolitis, roseola, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, viral and bacterial gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea), uncomplicated urinary tract infections, and common skin infections (impetigo, cellulitis - mild).
• Pediatric Asthma, Eczema & Allergy Management (Primary Care): Primary care coordination for childhood asthma, eczema, and allergies, ensuring optimal health, growth, and development, with close collaboration with pediatric specialists when necessary for severe or complex cases.
• Adolescent Health Care & Counseling (Physical, Mental, Sexual Health, Lifestyle, Substance Use): Creating a safe, non-judgmental, and youth-friendly healthcare environment where teenagers feel comfortable discussing their health concerns openly, receive accurate information, build a trusting relationship with their doctor, and are empowered to take charge of their health.
• Childhood Immunization Schedule Management & Counseling: Keeping your child's vaccinations fully up-to-date for their individual protection and to contribute to community (herd) immunity, thereby protecting vulnerable individuals.

Dermatological Skin Conditions

• Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis), Contact Dermatitis & Seborrheic Dermatitis: Helping patients control flare-ups of itchy, red, inflamed, and dry skin, maintain healthy skin barrier function, and reduce the impact of these chronic conditions on daily life.
• Viral Skin Infections (Common Warts, Molluscum Contagiosum, Herpes Simplex, Herpes Zoster/Shingles): Diagnosing and managing common viral skin infections. This includes common/plantar warts and molluscum contagiosum (observation, cryotherapy, topical agents like salicylic acid or cantharidin). For Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV - cold sores/fever blisters, genital herpes): antiviral therapy (acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir) for acute outbreaks or suppressive therapy for frequent recurrences, plus counseling on transmission. For Herpes Zoster (Shingles): prompt antiviral therapy to reduce severity/duration and risk of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), along with pain management. Shingles vaccination advice for eligible adults.
• Bacterial Skin Infections (Impetigo, Folliculitis, Cellulitis - uncomplicated): Prompt primary care for bacterial skin infections to ensure appropriate treatment and avoid potential complications. Severe or rapidly progressing cellulitis may require hospital admission for IV antibiotics.
• Acne Vulgaris (Mild to Moderate) & Rosacea Management: Personalized treatment plans for acne and rosacea based on severity, skin type, patient preference, and potential impact on self-esteem.

This list offers some examples of common conditions managed in family practice. A diagnosis is always based on an individual assessment by Dr. Johnsen. If your specific health concern isn't listed, please contact the clinic to discuss your needs.

• Immunizations & Vaccinations (Infant, Child, Adult, Travel): Keeping your family's immunizations up-to-date to safeguard individual health and contribute to community immunity, including pre-travel health advice.
• Sexually Transmitted & Blood-Borne Infection (STBBI) Screening, Counseling & Treatment: Confidential screening for common STBBIs (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis B/C) based on risk factors and guidelines. Includes counseling on prevention, safe practices, partner notification if applicable, and providing treatment for common STIs.
• Smoking & Tobacco Cessation Programs & Support: Dedicated, non-judgmental support for your journey to become smoke-free, improving your immediate and long-term health significantly.
• Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Management (Early to Moderate Stages): Monitoring kidney function (e.g., eGFR, urine ACR), managing risk factors (especially diabetes and hypertension that can worsen CKD), medication review to avoid nephrotoxic drugs, and coordinating care for patients with early to moderate stage chronic kidney disease to slow progression and prevent complications.
• Management of Other Chronic Conditions (e.g., GERD, IBS, Anemia): Providing ongoing care and management for a variety of other long-term health issues such as chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic anemia, and more, focusing on symptom control and quality of life.

Note: This list highlights some of the key services offered by Dr. Johnsen. For a comprehensive understanding of all services, or to discuss your specific health needs, please schedule a consultation.

All services are provided in accordance with the scope of practice for Family Doctors in ON and the ethical and professional standards set by The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

At Dr. Bonnie Lynn Johnsen's practice, family medicine is centered on a collaborative partnership to help individuals like you achieve significant improvements in your health, manage ongoing conditions effectively, and enhance your overall well-being. Dr. Johnsen frequently works with patients towards goals such as:

• Dr. Johnsen understands the impact of wanting to learn more about the shingles vaccine or other adult immunizations they might need. That's why treatment is geared towards achieving significantly better control over chronic inflammatory or allergic conditions like asthma, allergic rhinitis, or eczema, leading to markedly fewer disruptive flare-ups, reduced reliance on rescue medications, and an improved daily experience free from constant symptoms, helping patients get back to generously volunteering their valuable time, unique skills, and boundless energy in their local community for causes they deeply believe in, feeling consistently healthy, capable, and motivated enough to contribute meaningfully and make a real difference with greater ease.
• Through Dr. Johnsen's guidance, patients with their child having issues with persistent allergies, eczema flare-ups, or food sensitivities often find they can achieve their entire family having a central, trusted, and welcoming medical home base with Dr. Johnsen and the clinic team, which greatly simplifies their healthcare journey and provides a sense of security and belonging and once again pursue comfortably and confidently navigating crowded, stimulating public spaces like busy shopping malls, bustling farmers' markets, large airports, or public transit hubs without feeling overwhelmed, excessively stressed, or physically unsafe.
• Many seek Dr. Johnsen's help for foot pain, like sharp pain in their heel (plantar fasciitis) or a painful ingrown toenail. The collaborative goal is learning effective, personalized, and evidence-based strategies for managing chronic daily stress, significantly improving their sleep quality and duration, or coping more adaptively and resiliently with life's inevitable challenges and adversities, with tools provided by Dr. Johnsen, allowing a return to valued activities like feeling confident enough in their stable health and physical abilities to make spontaneous, last-minute plans, embrace unexpected opportunities, or enthusiastically try new, unfamiliar activities or experiences.
• For those challenged by a new skin rash that's itchy, spreading quickly, or looks unusual and concerning, Dr. Johnsen offers strategies to reach developing a deeply trusted, respectful, and enduring long-term therapeutic relationship with their dedicated and accessible primary care physician, Dr. Johnsen, built on open communication and mutual respect, which can mean rediscovering the joy of confidently and effectively advocating for their own complex health needs, specific treatment preferences, and the essential healthcare requirements of their family members when interacting within the broader, sometimes impersonal, healthcare system.

Your personalized healthcare plan, developed in discussion with Dr. Johnsen, will be thoughtfully designed to help you reach your specific functional, preventative, and wellness objectives. She believes in empowering patients with the knowledge and support needed to take an active role in their health journey.

Dr. Johnsen practices at a family medical clinic in Thunder Bay, situated in the Port Arthur Central (Downtown North Core, Waterfront area) neighborhood. The clinic is conveniently located near Marina Park and is accessible via Thunder Bay Transit. Street parking and nearby public or paid lots typically offer convenient options for visitors.

I have multiple health problems. How does Dr. Johnsen handle complex care?

As a family doctor, Dr. Johnsen is specifically trained to manage patients with multiple health problems (multimorbidity) and complex care needs. She will take a holistic approach, considering how your various conditions interact and how treatments for one might affect another. Dr. Johnsen will help prioritize your health concerns, coordinate care with any specialists involved, manage your medications to avoid harmful interactions (polypharmacy review), and develop a comprehensive care plan that aligns with your overall health goals and quality of life. Open communication about all your conditions and concerns is key.

Is seeing a family doctor (Family Doctor) covered by Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) in ON?

Medically necessary visits to a family doctor are typically covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) for eligible residents with a valid health card. However, some services (e.g., cosmetic procedures, most travel medicine consultations, sick notes, insurance forms, driver's medicals) may not be covered and might have a fee. Please confirm with our clinic if you have questions about specific services or potential fees.

Do I need a referral to see a family doctor (Family Doctor) in ON?

Generally, you don't need a referral to see a family doctor if they are accepting new patients. However, finding a family doctor who is accepting new patients can be challenging. Resources like Health Care Connect in Ontario may be helpful. A referral is usually needed to see specialists.

What happens if Dr. Johnsen determines I need to see a medical specialist?

If Dr. Johnsen determines you need a specialist, she will discuss this with you and initiate a referral. This involves sending a referral letter and your medical information to the specialist. Wait times vary. The clinic will inform you when the referral is sent; the specialist will contact you to schedule an appointment. Please follow up with our clinic if you haven't heard from the specialist within a reasonable timeframe.

What exactly is a family doctor (Family Doctor) and what is their role?

A family doctor (Ontario) is a physician who has completed post-graduate training in family medicine. They are skilled in providing continuous and comprehensive medical care, health maintenance, and preventive services to patients of all ages. This includes diagnosing and treating a vast array of illnesses, managing complex long-term health conditions, offering health education and counseling on lifestyle choices, and acting as your advocate and guide within the broader healthcare system.

How can I find a family doctor (Family Doctor) in ON who is accepting new patients?

Check the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario website; they often have a 'Find a Doctor' tool. In Ontario, you can register with Health Care Connect. Ask friends, family, or colleagues for recommendations. Contact local community health centres or new patient clinics. Finding a doctor may take time.

Unit Suite 210, 1260 Golf Links Road, Suite 210
Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 0A1

Phone: (807) 626-1212

Dr. Bonnie Lynn Johnsen is regulated by the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 & Medicine Act, 1991 (Ontario) in ON and is a registered member in good standing with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

Registration Number: 71297

Verify registration with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO): https://doctors.cpso.on.ca/DoctorDetails/Johnsen-Bonnie-Lynn/0143018-71297

Family doctors like Dr. Johnsen are skilled in managing a wide range of health issues. For urgent or life-threatening emergencies, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department. It is always recommended to maintain open communication with your family doctor about all aspects of your health, including any treatments received from other practitioners.