Research teams to work toward smoother transitions in care for patients in Canada

News release

February 27, 2023 – London, Ontario – Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Throughout our lifetime, most of us will experience a transition in care, whether as a patient, a family member, or a caregiver. These transitions occur when the responsibility of caring for a patient changes hands, often due to aging, a change in health status, or a change in location. It is at these moments when patients are most at risk of receiving incomplete, delayed, or poor quality of care, which can negatively affect their health and wellness. Some groups, such as patients with complex medical conditions, Indigenous Peoples, and new immigrants to Canada, are more vulnerable to poor outcomes during transitions and that is why inclusive, multi-disciplinary research is required to improve outcomes for everyone.

Today, Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament for London North Centre, announced, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, an investment of $12 million in research to improve the continuity of care for Canadians throughout all stages of life. By supporting 14 world-class research teams, this research will support the government’s plan announced on February 7, 2023 to improve health care and deliver real results for Canadians.

The research teams receiving funding will collaborate with health care providers, people with lived or living experience, caregivers, and decision-makers to study diverse aspects of the health care system. Two research teams are based at Western University and Lawson Health Research Institute, where one team will focus on improving primary care for people with diabetes who have other health conditions that make getting effective care challenging. The other team will work to ensure seamless lifelong care for adults with childhood-onset disabilities such as cerebral palsy or spina bifida.

Teams at Queen’s University and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto will help post-secondary school students maintain their mental health and wellness by providing access to digital mental health care resources and navigation services. A team at CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal will use digital technologies to support the health of seniors transitioning from hospital to home care – particularly those living in remote areas.

Funding for the research teams is provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in partnership with the Azrieli Foundation, Mitacs, and the Rossy Foundation as part of the ongoing Transitions in Care initiative.

Quotes

“Canadians deserve access to high-quality health care when and wherever they need it. The research announced today will help us support better lifelong health and wellness of people across the country by ensuring that transition in care is well-coordinated, timely, and effective.”

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health

“People living in Canada routinely experience transitions in care as they navigate the health system. The important research that will be done here in London and at institutions across the country will help develop meaningful approaches to make these transitions easier for patients and caregivers.”

Peter Fragiskatos
Member of Parliament for London North Centre

“As an emergency physician and a scientist, I have witnessed firsthand the importance of efficient, effective, and coordinated care transitions. Unfortunately, not all transitions have the outcomes that patients and their families expect or deserve. For the past six years, CIHR Institutes and generous partners have collaborated on much-needed research to improve transitions in care. These grants represent another opportunity to generate and translate new evidence and increase capacity using an equity and Indigenous health lens.”

Dr. Brian Rowe
Co-Lead, Transitions in Care Initiative
Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health

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Contacts

Guillaume Bertrand
Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health
613-957-0200

Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

At the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) we know that research has the power to change lives. As Canada's health research investment agency, we collaborate with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health care system.

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