Day three: May 17

Partnering for change in fracture management

The evidenced-based Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) model has been adopted worldwide as the most effective model for preventing recurrent osteoporosis-related fractures in a cost-effective manner. In this project we explored how the FLS model implemented at one hospital could be successfully adapted and scaled-up to other hospital sites within Fraser Health. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) informed our implementation strategy and the RE-AIM model framed our process and outcome evaluation. Our key outcome is to inform an FLS implementation strategy that can be used to spread the FLS model across B.C., thereby improving patients’ quality of life after low-trauma fractures and decreasing health care costs related to recurrent fracture.

Speakers:

• Sonia Singh, MD, MHSc, Peace Arch Hospital Health research champion, hospitalist and osteoporosis consultant, Fraser Health; clinical assistant professor, Faculty of Medicine, UBC; adjunct professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, SFU
  
• Stephen Smith, director, Life Course Prevention, Healthy Living and Health Promotion Branch, B.C. Ministry of Health
• Larry Funnell, patient partner

Towards early detection and management of frailty in community-dwelling older adults: preliminary findings of the CIHR eFI-CGA research

Frailty is common in older adults and associated with many adverse outcomes. We developed an electronic Frailty Index based on a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (eFI-CGA) and are validating its use. This presentation introduces the collaborative effort led by Fraser Health under CIHR support in promoting early detection and management of frailty in community-dwelling older adults and reports the primary finding of the research project.

Speaker:

• Xioawei Song, PhD, MSCS, senior clinical scientist, Fraser Health
  

Expanding research and embracing innovation in Long-Term Care and Assisted Living at Fraser Health

This talk will feature the work of a newly established Long-Term Care and Assisted Living (LTC-AL) Research Unit at Fraser Health. This embedded research team and its diverse collaborators have been conducting timely COVID-19 related research, including studies on implementing a quality improvement collaborative approach to pandemic preparedness in LTC homes, improving vaccine uptake among LTC staff and developing evidence-based guidelines for long COVID management in LTC residents. Patient-oriented research is supported by a Fraser Health LTC-AL research partners group comprised of LTC residents, their family care partners, volunteers and staff. This group supports ongoing patient partner research engagement, including the co-creation of research priorities in LTC-AL.

Speaker:

• Janice Sorensen, PhD, RD, leader, Clinical Research, Long-Term Care and Assisted Living, Fraser Health
  

View the session recording.

Inspired by a desire to learn how philanthropy can help support the unique needs of health care beyond the hospital walls, Allison and Vanessa set out on a journey of dreaming and discovery. Through a shared commitment to continuous learning, and an investment in time and building of authentic relationships, they will share how partnership, research and overall well-being can be found by rooting this work in a community informed and led processes. While this journey is just beginning, it is readily opening doors to a new era of whole health, healing and reconciliation.

Speakers:

• Vanessa Mitchell, MA, Indigenous cultural safety consultant
  
• Allison Ramchuk, MA, CEO, KGH Foundation
  

The prevalence of medication use, and expenditures on medications are continuing to rise in Canada, and the share of total health expenditure on drugs has now surpassed the amount spent on physicians. In the current landscape of increasing use and costs, pharmacists are well equipped, and increasingly better positioned to optimize drug use for the best possible health outcomes. This presentation will showcase various research projects the presenter and other northern pharmacists have engaged in over recent years related to the role of pharmacists in various areas of the health care system and their role in optimizing medication treatments.

Speaker:

• Rob Pammett, BSc, BSP, MSc, BCGP, research and development pharmacist, Primary Care, Northern Health and UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
  

Integrating contracted nurse practitioners (NPs) into an established primary care model traditionally provided by doctors has exposed unique challenges, opportunities and unintended outcomes. Although all stakeholders have generally worked well together, unanticipated conflicts and inefficient work flow impacts have arisen. In this presentation we will discuss the enablers, challenges and unexpected outcomes' findings that emerged from numerous focus groups of NPs, leaders and physicians related to NP integration into primary care, and determine how innovative processes enabling focused collaboration, clear scope of practice and improved teamwork can improve flow and access in primary care.

Learning objectives:

1. To understand current issues of NP integration into primary care.
2. To present and discuss focus group findings of facilitators, barriers and unexpected outcomes of NP integration into primary care.
3. To discuss opportunities for future lines of inquiry.

Speakers:

• Darcy Ross, RN, BScN, MBA, lead, Advanced Nursing Practice, Knowledge, Practice, chief nurse executive, Island Health
• Diane Sawchuck, RN, PhD, lead, Evidence, Evaluation and Knowledge Translation, Island Health

View the session recording.

While major advancements have improved the care of people living with cancer, alarming differences in cancer outcomes persist between population groups. These inequitable differences are found across the cancer care continuum, ranging from the late-stage diagnosis of screening-preventable cancers, to increased burdens of morbidity and mortality. This presentation will examine the root causes of these inequities, provide a case example of their impacts on people living with cancer and underscore the importance of understanding cancer-related inequities as a social justice issue.

Speakers:

• Leah Lambert, RN, PhD (moderator), executive director and senior scientist of Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation, BC Cancer
  
• Tara Horrill, RN, PhD, postdoctoral fellow, School of Nursing, UBC; Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation Unit, BC Cancer
  
• Amber Bourgeois, MSN, NP(F), CIHR health systems impact doctoral fellow, Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation department, BC Cancer; PhD student, School of Nursing, University of Victoria
  
• Scott Beck, BSN, RN, clinical nurse specialist, Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation department
  

View the session recording.

We present innovations in drug checking technologies and service design that attempt to overcome current financial and technical barriers towards scaling-up services to a more equitable and impactful level and effectively linking multiple urban and rural communities to report concentration levels for substances most linked to overdose. “Substance” is a Vancouver Island made drug checking project combining research with service delivery within the context of the illicit drug overdose public health emergency. We are a Patient-Oriented Research (POR) project based at University of Victoria in collaboration with Vancouver Island University, Island Health and provincial knowledge users and engaging community organizations including peer workers and drug user organizations. This presentation will showcase the key components of our distributed model of drug checking throughout Vancouver Island, now being launched, and the research questions we are asking and answering.

Learning objectives:

1. Identify the key components of the new distributed model of drug checking as a substance use service on Vancouver Island.
2. Identify the current and potential role of drug checking in overdose responses and public health monitoring on Vancouver Island.
3. Identify the barriers, facilitators and strategies for implementing drug checking as an equity-oriented intervention integrated within community responses to substance use risks.

Speakers:

• Bruce Wallace, associate professor, School of Social Work, University of Victoria; scientist, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research
• Dennis Hore, professor, Departments of Chemistry and Computer Science, University of Victoria
• Chris Gill, professor, Vancouver Island University; co-director of the Applied Environmental Research Laboratories
• Lea Gozdzialski, PhD candidate, Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria
• Abby Hutchison, graduate student, Public Health, University of Victoria
• Heather Strosher, knowledge broker, BC SUPPORT Unit Vancouver Island Centre

View the session recording.