Health and Community Services
September 12, 2013

$260,000 in Research Grants Advance Patient Care in the Province

Four research grants totalling $260,000 have been awarded through the Enhancing Health Care in Newfoundland and Labrador research fund to advance the care of patients in Newfoundland and Labrador. The research fund was established as part of the recommendations put forth by the Commission of Inquiry on Hormone Receptor Testing.

“Research-based evidence plays a critical role in making the right decisions to support quality social and economic programs and policies,” said the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services. “We need research, recommendations and ideas to continue to evolve health care to make it more efficient and effective. I would like to congratulate all of the recipients of this year’s grants. The projects they are undertaking will help strengthen health care and advance patient care in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

The Enhancing Health Care in Newfoundland and Labrador grant fund is valued at $1 million over four consecutive years and is sponsored by three sources: the Department of Health and Community Services - $400,000; Eastern Health - $400,000; and, the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation - $200,000. Since the fund was established, $388,500 in grants has been awarded.

“The investment in research is an appropriate means of taking the lessons from the Cameron Inquiry, and translating them into learning to help advance the health care services we provide,“ said Vickie Kaminski, President and CEO of Eastern Health. “On behalf of Eastern Health, I thank all of the researchers who applied for funding, and I congratulate all of the successful grant fund recipients for their interest and dedication to advancing health care in our province.”

The 2013 research grants have been awarded for the following projects:

• The Use of Standardized Controls for Hormone Receptor Testing in Invasive Breast Cancer
• Implications for Cervical Cancer Screening in the HPV Vaccine Era
• Examination of a Novel Biomarker to Improve Screening for Colorectal Cancer
• Family Physicians' Attitudes toward and adherence to Prevention and Screening Guidelines in Newfoundland and Labrador

More detailed information about the research projects that have been funded to date can be found in the backgrounder below.

“The Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation is pleased to partner with Eastern Health and the Provincial Government on this important initiative for cancer care,” said Geoff Davis, Chair, Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation. “This partnership is a shining example of how working together creates opportunities to fund innovative cancer care research by teams in Newfoundland and Labrador, and move forward in a positive direction. Our best wishes to those research teams receiving funding in 2013 - we look forward to seeing the impact of their results.”

The 2013 competition for research was administered by the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research. To be eligible for funding, the principal applicant and any co-principal investigator of an application must be an employee or student of Memorial University, an employee of any of the province’s regional health authorities, or an employee of any other non-profit organization based in this province.

- 30 -

Media contacts:

Scott Barfoot Director of Communications Department of Health and Community Services 709-729-1377, 690-6290 scottbarfoot@gov.nl.ca	Zelda Burt Media Relations Manager Eastern Health 709-777-1339 Zelda.Burt@easternhealth.ca
Lynette Hillier Executive Director Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation 709-777-7590 lynette.hillier@easternhealth.ca

Backgrounder
Enhancing Health Care in Newfoundland and Labrador

2013 Research Grant Recipients

Study Title: The use of Standardized Controls for Hormone Receptor Testing in Invasive Breast Cancer
Principal Investigators of Research Team: Dr. Kenneth Kao, Dr. Frank Torres
Amount Awarded: $70,000
Study description: About 300 patients in Newfoundland and Labrador are diagnosed yearly with life-threatening invasive breast cancer. The current care for breast cancer patients includes giving drugs that are specially designed to kill tumour cells according to their type. It is important to know what those types of tumours are to give the correct drugs to the patient. These drugs are called “hormone disruptors”, including Tamoxifen, and “biological therapies”, such as Herceptin. They are given only to patients who will be helped by them, because of the chance that serious side effects might occur. But to find out if a patient can get these drugs, the tumour must be tested in the laboratory. This research will look into a better way to test the tumour. The overall goal is to make certain no patient gets unnecessarily included or left out.

Study Title: Implications for Cervical Cancer Screening in the HPV Vaccine Era
Principal Investigator: Dr. Catherine Popadiuk
Amount Awarded: $70,000
Study description: Seventy per cent of cervical cancer is caused by two aggressive types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) called HPV 16 and 18. Since 2007, about 90 per cent of school-aged females in Newfoundland and Labrador have been vaccinated against HPV 16 and 18. By January 2014, they will be old enough to start cervical cancer screening with pap smears. It is important to see if the HPV vaccination program will prevent HPV 16 and 18 infection and their associated pap smear abnormalities.

The objective of the study is to determine if HPV vaccination works in preventing abnormal pap smears in females in Newfoundland and Labrador and hence decreases the risk for cervical cancer. The results of this study would inform policy regarding HPV vaccination effects on cervical abnormalities and the best method for screening.

Study Title: Examination of a Novel Biomarker to Improve Screening for Colorectal Cancer
Principal Investigators of Research Team: Dr. Jerry McGrath, Dr. Edward Randall
Amount Awarded: $50,000
Study description: Newfoundland and Labrador has among the highest rates of new cases and deaths from colorectal cancer in Canada. In 2012 the Provincial Government launched a general population screening program with the goal to reduce the impact from this form of cancer. Stool testing is often used to screen for colorectal cancer. Clients in the provincial screening program mail home fecal tests (FIT kits) to a central lab which run tests searching for small amounts of human blood (hemoglobin). A positive test indicates polyps or cancer may be present.

Transferrin is a protein found in blood. Research states this may be at higher levels in the stool among people with colon tumours. Therefore, measuring the amount of this protein in a stool sample may provide a more accurate means of screening people in addition to the current test. The goal of this study is to compare the use of testing for levels of transferrin and hemoglobin using the FIT test kit against results of colonoscopies to determine which method detects more pre-cancerous or cancerous polyps.

Study Title: Family Physicians' Attitudes toward and adherence to Prevention and Screening Guidelines in Newfoundland and Labrador
Principal Investigator: Dr. Marshall Godwin
Amount Awarded: $70,000
Study description: Screening and treatment guidelines for chronic disease help to decrease the damaging effects of disease, extend lives, improve well-being, and lead to efficient use of resources. Despite this, previous research suggests that guidelines are not always followed.

Given the high rates of chronic disease in this province, the purpose of this study is to measure and better understand physicians’ attitudes toward, knowledge of, and adherence to screening and treatment guidelines in this province. The study will focus on the following diseases: colorectal, breast, cervical, and prostate cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. In addition, the study will assess the effect that patients who present with more than one chronic disease have on adherence to guidelines.

2012 Research Grant Recipients

Study Title: Organizational ethics in the midst of crisis: Examining the perceived roles and responsibilities of RHA boards with regard to monitoring quality
Principle Investigators of Research Team: Dr. Victor Maddalena, Dr. Chris Kaposy
Amount Awarded: $58,500
Study description:
The role of the Board of Directors (Trustees) in health organizations, specifically district or regional health authorities (DHA/RHA), is to provide stewardship for the organization and ensure it fulfills its mission within a regulatory framework and in accordance with industry standards.

To avoid failures in both communication and accountability within a complex regional health authority, it is important to understand how and when such breakdowns occur. This research will examine the means by which governing board members come to understand how, and fulfill their responsibilities in monitoring quality of care, whether and how they receive the information necessary to fulfill their mandate and any perceived barriers that might hamper them in this regard, especially during a crisis. It will also explore the potential role that organizational ethics supports can provide to governing boards when managing a crisis and recommend policy to enhance the capacity of governing boards to manage crisis.

Study Title: The disclosure of an adverse event: Healthcare professionals’ patients’ and families’ experiences
Principle Investigators of Research Team: Dr. Charlene Reccord, Dr. Alissa Setliff
Amount Awarded: $45,000
Study description: The effective disclosure of an adverse event to a patient and/or family member requires knowledge and skills related to communication, sensitivity and communication self-efficacy. In an attempt to improve the development of these skills, Eastern Health has implemented a training workshop entitled Disclosing Unanticipated Medical Outcomes that aims to better prepare health professionals to respond in situations that require the disclosure of an adverse event. A series of key informant interviews/focus groups with health care professionals, patients and their families will be conducted to assess their experiences and satisfaction with the disclosure process.

The overarching goal of this research is to assess the impact of training on health professionals’ disclosure experiences and the disclosure processes currently in place within Eastern Health, in order to inform policies and practice around the disclosure training needs of individuals involved in the disclosure process.

Study Title: Feasibility and psychometric properties associated with a 360 degree process to assess medical residents’ patient safety skills: A pilot study
Principal Investigators: Patti McCarthy, Dr. Vernon Curran
Amount Awarded: $25,000
Study description: In recent years, increased attention on patient safety has placed it at the forefront of both medical educators and learners. The increased focus is a result of a more complex health care system – due to an increase in medical knowledge, interventions and treatments. Patients are increasingly more engaged in health care issues, their own health and wellness issues and are calling for greater transparency in the health care system.

Patient safety competencies have emerged as a key skill set for new health professionals who must learn to successfully diagnose, assess and treat patients in a complex and highly specialized environment. This research proposed to develop a valid, reliable and multi-source feedback (MSF)/360 degree patient safety assessment tool, which will be used to provide medical residents with feedback on their patient safety skills and inform the teaching institution and organization when developing relevant educational programs, policies and procedures.

2013 09 12                       11:30 a.m.