BETTER-ED

Patient-Oriented Research to BETTER Prepare Canadian Emergency Departments for Health Crises such as Pandemics and Climate-mediated Disasters

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s research response did not have the adequate
systems in place to save lives. The pandemic has shown that engaging patients in research is more relevant than ever, especially for marginalized patients who were the hardest hit. Climate change is also adding new challenges to caring for patients in the emergency department (ED). New research infrastructures to ensure better pandemic and climate change preparedness are needed. The United Kingdom (UK) demonstrated that a highly performing health system can embed research into practice using innovative ‘platform trials’.

Platform trial benefits include: (1) multiple emerging questions can be evaluated
simultaneously; and (2) data that is already collected can be utilized to increase the likelihood that patients are randomized to treatments more likely to be beneficial. However, platform trials create new challenges about how to meaningfully involve patients in their planning and also about how to obtain consent.

The Canadian Emergency Department Rapid Response Network (CEDRRN, pronounced
“sedrin”) was created during the pandemic as a multisite observational registry to respond to decision-maker and patient partner questions. Its Patient Engagement Committee (PEC) guided its research questions and methods. Building on the UK’s experience, CEDRRN aims to pivot its research infrastructure including its PEC to support future platform trials in EM to better prepare for pandemics and climate change.

The overarching aim of this project is to expand CEDRRN’s patient-oriented research
capacity to enable relevant and timely platform trials in Emergency Medicine (EM) to address pandemic and climate-mediated disaster preparedness. Its specific aims are: (1) Build patient-oriented research capacity in EM that is equitable, diverse and inclusive; (2) Identify patient-centered research priorities suitable for future ED platform trials; (3) Explore what consent models are acceptable to ED patients.

Graduate Student position (M. Sc.)

Available Funding

27 000 $ for 1 year (new CIHR bursary value)

Project Description

We are looking for a motivated student interested in improving healthcare and involving patient partners. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for patient engagement in research, especially for marginalized patients. This Canada-wide project aims to increase patient-oriented research in Canadian emergency departments and support patient partner engagement to identify research priorities in emergency medicine.

This project is the first phase of implementing a research priority setting process using a method similar to the James Lind Alliance. The selected student will collaborate in the development of a Canada-wide questionnaire and conduct analyses with the support of the research team and the methodological platform of the CISSS CA. They will also participate in meetings with involved patient partners from across Canada, have the opportunity to undertake specific training and present unique research results, and develop specialized skills in participatory research.

Research areas

Epidemiology
Participatory research
Mixed methods
Emergency medicine
Public health
Equity, diversity and inclusion
Population health
Health services
Health systems
Implementation science
Interdisciplinarity

Desired Profile

Community Health
Epidemiology
Emergency Medicine
Public Health

Requirements and Conditions

Autonomy
Rigor
Interest for research in interdisciplinarity
Excellent writing skills in French
Excellent oral and written English skills
Experience of research with mixed methods, an asset

Required documents

Letter of motivation
Curriculum vitae
Transcript

Start date

As soon as possible

Send documents to: Martyne Audet, Research Coordinator