W21C Research and Innovation Centre | Annual Report 2020 - 2021
The theme of this report is Connection, Collaboration, and Community. W21C has over 60 active projects, and this report features just a few of our research and innovation activities from April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021.
The theme of this report is Connection, Collaboration, and Community. W21C has over 60 active projects, and this report features just a few of our research and innovation activities from April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021.
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CONNECTION<br />
COLLABORATION<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong><br />
<strong>2020</strong>-<strong>2021</strong>
Contents<br />
2 Message from the Directors<br />
3 About <strong>W21C</strong><br />
4 Impact Metrics: Year in Numbers<br />
5 Celebrating our Milestones<br />
18 Thank you<br />
<strong>Research</strong> Impact<br />
CONNECTION: COVID-19 RESEARCH<br />
Creating local <strong>and</strong> global partnerships to enhance safety for patients, providers,<br />
<strong>and</strong> communities during the global p<strong>and</strong>emic<br />
7 Global study investigates decontamination methods for medical masks<br />
9 <strong>Research</strong>ers investigate drone delivery of medical supplies, equipment, treatments,<br />
<strong>and</strong> diagnostic testing to remote First Nations communities during p<strong>and</strong>emic<br />
12 <strong>Research</strong>ers explore health system preparedness in acute <strong>and</strong> primary care settings<br />
12 University of Calgary drug discovery aims to reduce inflammation in COVID-19<br />
patients: Metablok clinical trial<br />
COLLABORATION: DIGITAL HEALTH RESEARCH<br />
Supporting academics, clinicians, entrepreneurs, <strong>and</strong> industry to respond to changing<br />
health system needs in a digital world<br />
13 SPARK Calgary: A success story<br />
14 Digital health platform aims to reduce antimicrobial resistance: Firstline<br />
14 Software platform focuses on enhancing stroke treatment triage: StrokeSENS<br />
COMMUNITY: HEALTH SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT RESEARCH<br />
Working together with patients, families, <strong>and</strong> providers to make care better<br />
15 The Impact of COVID-19 on family caregivers for persons living with dementia<br />
Message<br />
from the Directors<br />
You cannot truly test the foundations of something until<br />
adversity hits, <strong>and</strong> there has never been a truer test than<br />
during a global p<strong>and</strong>emic.<br />
This past year has taught us so much. We have experienced<br />
the isolation, fear of the unknown, changes in the rules<br />
for how we live, <strong>and</strong> a completely new way of working.<br />
In spite of these challenges, we were blown away by how<br />
much our team <strong>and</strong> our partners continued to thrive in<br />
this new world. They did what they do best—they came<br />
together, found creative ways to connect, <strong>and</strong> figured out<br />
how to adapt to keep our <strong>Centre</strong> moving forward.<br />
Connection. Collaboration. Community.<br />
Three words that describe the heart of <strong>W21C</strong>.<br />
They inherently define the spirit of the people we work<br />
with every day, people that drive <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>and</strong> health<br />
systems research: our dedicated research staff, clinicians<br />
<strong>and</strong> health-care providers, academics, entrepreneurs,<br />
patients, <strong>and</strong> their families. Together, they continue to<br />
explore new ways to keep us all safe during this global<br />
health crisis.<br />
<strong>and</strong> resilience of Alberta Health Services, where <strong>W21C</strong><br />
began in 2004, <strong>and</strong> who we continue to partner closely<br />
with. And they highlight the work of our larger innovation<br />
ecosystem partners provincially, nationally, <strong>and</strong> globally.<br />
Through connection, collaboration, <strong>and</strong> community,<br />
we identify care gaps, grow ideas, <strong>and</strong> break through<br />
obstacles to help transform health systems.<br />
On behalf of our team, we are excited to share this <strong>Annual</strong><br />
<strong>Report</strong>, which provides just a snapshot of some of our<br />
incredible research achievements for this past year. The<br />
partnerships highlighted in this report are the keystones<br />
of our <strong>Centre</strong>. They will continue to help us shape our<br />
research priorities, ensuring that new technology or<br />
system innovations help the people they are supposed to<br />
help, whenever <strong>and</strong> wherever they are needed.<br />
Now more than ever, we recognize what a privilege it is<br />
to be part of this amazing team, working every day to<br />
make care better.<br />
Jill de Grood, MA PMP (she/her)<br />
Director, Development <strong>and</strong> Partnerships<br />
Alex Baron, <strong>W21C</strong><br />
17 Alberta Health Services’ Assess, Treat, <strong>and</strong> Refer Coordination <strong>Centre</strong> They depict the strong networks we have built over the<br />
years through the O’Brien Institute for Public Health<br />
<strong>and</strong> are reflected in the University of Calgary’s Growth<br />
through Focus campaign. They showcase the strength<br />
Dr. Jaime Kaufman, PhD (she/her)<br />
Director, <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong><br />
1 <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2020</strong>–<strong>2021</strong><br />
2
About<br />
<strong>W21C</strong><br />
Who we are<br />
The <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> (<strong>W21C</strong>) is based in the University of Calgary’s<br />
O’Brien Institute for Public Health, <strong>and</strong> the Calgary Zone of Alberta Health Services.<br />
Impact Metrics:<br />
Year in Numbers<br />
April 1, <strong>2020</strong> to March 31, <strong>2021</strong><br />
42<br />
University academic faculty<br />
<strong>and</strong>/or alumni associated<br />
with research projects<br />
75<br />
Connections with<br />
companies to explore<br />
research services<br />
RESEARCH 60<br />
Active<br />
research projects<br />
What we do<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> aims to improve the health system by bringing new ideas, prototypes, <strong>and</strong> products<br />
into health care for testing <strong>and</strong> evaluation. <strong>W21C</strong>’s interdisciplinary research team provides<br />
evidence, feedback, <strong>and</strong> validation services.<br />
32<br />
Industry inquiries converted<br />
to active research projects<br />
6<br />
Prototypes for<br />
clinical evaluation<br />
16<br />
COVID-19<br />
projects<br />
Together we are making care better.<br />
Our core values<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> endeavours to create <strong>and</strong> maintain a positive <strong>and</strong> productive balance between<br />
learning, working, <strong>and</strong> living. We promote:<br />
10<br />
Technology<br />
innovation evaluations<br />
13<br />
Highly qualified<br />
personnel trained<br />
24<br />
On-going clinical trials<br />
(11 activated)<br />
Integrity <strong>and</strong><br />
Honesty<br />
To take responsibility for<br />
our own actions while<br />
expecting the same of<br />
others we interact with.<br />
<strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> Service<br />
Excellence<br />
To go above <strong>and</strong> beyond<br />
<strong>and</strong> to pursue excellence in<br />
everything we do.<br />
Collaboration<br />
To believe in the power of<br />
working together to find<br />
solutions to challenging<br />
problems.<br />
Privacy <strong>and</strong> Confidentiality<br />
To protect the<br />
confidentiality of the<br />
information <strong>and</strong> data that<br />
has been entrusted to us.<br />
Respect<br />
To treat all individuals<br />
with respect, compassion,<br />
fairness, <strong>and</strong> dignity.<br />
Work-Life Balance<br />
<strong>and</strong> Wellness<br />
To encourage <strong>and</strong> empower<br />
individuals to adopt a<br />
work-life model that<br />
reflects the needs of their<br />
unique personal situations<br />
while enabling maximum<br />
productivity.<br />
NOTEWORTHY<br />
Launch of<br />
SPARK Calgary<br />
New in-house<br />
lab collection service<br />
Top recruiting site<br />
for two international studies<br />
ENGAGEMENT<br />
368<br />
Undergraduate <strong>and</strong><br />
graduate students<br />
participating<br />
in educational<br />
opportunities (class<br />
tours, presentations,<br />
<strong>and</strong> summer<br />
studentships)<br />
415<br />
Attendees at virtual events<br />
focused on entrepreneurship<br />
<strong>and</strong> health-care solutions<br />
FOLLOWER GROWTH RATE<br />
29%<br />
44%<br />
5%<br />
123% increase in engagement<br />
15,000<br />
unique website visitors<br />
with international reach<br />
3 <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2020</strong>–<strong>2021</strong> 4
Celebrating our Milestones<br />
For over 17 years (2004–<strong>2021</strong>) <strong>W21C</strong> has been at the heart of health services research, working with<br />
academics, entrepreneurs, governments, non-profits, <strong>and</strong> companies to bring new ideas into health<br />
care. Highlights in research, education, collaboration, <strong>and</strong> entrepreneurship include:<br />
2004<br />
Opening of the Ward of the<br />
21st Century, a redesigned<br />
Unit 36 in the Special<br />
Services Building of the<br />
Foothills Medical <strong>Centre</strong>.<br />
Located within the Calgary<br />
Health Region (now part of<br />
Alberta Health Services),<br />
this “Living Laboratory”<br />
was the first of its kind<br />
in Canada.<br />
2008<br />
South Health Campus:<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> Human Factors<br />
researchers teamed up<br />
with Calgary Health Region<br />
to conduct simulations<br />
evaluating the proposed<br />
designs of four rooms<br />
before construction.<br />
Recommendations provided<br />
informed the final design of<br />
900 rooms.<br />
Vocera Device Evaluation:<br />
This h<strong>and</strong>s-free wireless<br />
communication solution<br />
was tested by <strong>W21C</strong> (with<br />
nursing staff) when it<br />
was first implemented<br />
within the Calgary Health<br />
Region. <strong>Research</strong> found<br />
the device improved work<br />
efficiency, communication,<br />
<strong>and</strong> continuity of patient<br />
care. Vocera is now used in<br />
hospitals across Alberta<br />
<strong>and</strong> internationally.<br />
2009<br />
Opening of the <strong>W21C</strong><br />
<strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong><br />
<strong>Centre</strong> <strong>and</strong> the shift to<br />
being part of the University<br />
of Calgary.<br />
2011<br />
ASL Mobile Eye: <strong>W21C</strong> was<br />
one of the first research<br />
teams to explore eye<br />
movements in health-care<br />
settings using the Applied<br />
Science Laboratories (ASL)<br />
Mobile Eye. This tetherless<br />
eye-tracking system,<br />
designed to be worn by<br />
research participants, helps<br />
to capture <strong>and</strong> record<br />
where health-care providers<br />
are looking during clinical<br />
procedures, while they<br />
interact with different<br />
health-care technologies.<br />
2012<br />
Launch of the <strong>W21C</strong><br />
Summer Student Program,<br />
which provides h<strong>and</strong>s-on<br />
research opportunities,<br />
education sessions, <strong>and</strong><br />
mentorship. To date,<br />
69 undergraduate <strong>and</strong><br />
graduate students have<br />
participated in the program.<br />
The beginning of local<br />
<strong>and</strong> global health care<br />
innovation academy<br />
event platforms (<strong>W21C</strong><br />
<strong>Innovation</strong> Academy<br />
<strong>and</strong> Global Healthcare<br />
<strong>Innovation</strong> Academy). These<br />
international partnership<br />
events support innovation<br />
in health care with scalable<br />
impact. <strong>W21C</strong> has hosted<br />
nine events within this<br />
platform.<br />
2013<br />
Alberta Ambulance<br />
Design: This study,<br />
conducted by <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
AHS Emergency Medical<br />
Services, evaluated how<br />
the design of ambulances<br />
impacted paramedics’<br />
ability to provide care<br />
during patient transport.<br />
Results continue to inform<br />
improvements to the rear<br />
patient compartment<br />
of Alberta ambulances,<br />
greatly improving safety for<br />
patients <strong>and</strong> paramedics.<br />
2015<br />
XSENSOR’s ForeSite<br />
PT System: <strong>W21C</strong><br />
conducted an independent<br />
r<strong>and</strong>omized controlled<br />
trial with XSENSOR’s<br />
pressure monitoring<br />
system (a mattress overlay<br />
for a hospital bed) to<br />
assess if the technology<br />
aids in reducing pressure<br />
experienced by patients.<br />
Pressure injury treatment<br />
costs Canadian hospitals<br />
more than $1 million<br />
each year. Prior to<br />
this clinical trial, <strong>W21C</strong><br />
worked with XSENSOR<br />
from initial concept<br />
to prototype creation,<br />
<strong>and</strong> commercialization;<br />
conducting focus groups,<br />
heuristic evaluations,<br />
usability, <strong>and</strong> clinical testing.<br />
2017<br />
Patient Portal Survey:<br />
This Alberta-wide<br />
study examined public<br />
perceptions regarding<br />
the use of online patient<br />
health portals to access,<br />
manage, <strong>and</strong> share health<br />
information. The results<br />
were shared with provincial<br />
decision-making bodies to<br />
inform decisions for online<br />
health platforms in Alberta.<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> receives the<br />
Societal Impact Award<br />
from the ASTech Foundation.<br />
WiTAT Technology<br />
Evaluation: This noninvasive<br />
thermometer<br />
allows for the continuous<br />
monitoring of a patient’s<br />
core body temperature. This<br />
flagship project proved the<br />
efficacy of the device <strong>and</strong><br />
involved a collaboration<br />
between <strong>W21C</strong>, University<br />
of Calgary’s Department<br />
of Electrical <strong>and</strong> Software<br />
Engineering (the developers<br />
of the device), <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Intensive Care Unit at<br />
Foothills Medical <strong>Centre</strong>.<br />
Physician Wellness: This<br />
foundational study in the<br />
Lancet, highlighted that<br />
the health <strong>and</strong> wellness of<br />
physicians is vital to the<br />
delivery of high-quality<br />
care. This study led to 15<br />
years of further research<br />
underst<strong>and</strong>ing the science<br />
of physician wellness <strong>and</strong><br />
the eventual launch of Well<br />
Doc Alberta in 2019.<br />
The Duke <strong>and</strong> Duchess<br />
of Cambridge visit <strong>W21C</strong><br />
as part of their national<br />
Canadian tour (the only<br />
university site they visited<br />
in Western Canada).<br />
Electronic Transfer of<br />
Care Tool: <strong>W21C</strong> partnered<br />
with AHS to develop <strong>and</strong><br />
test this web-based tool,<br />
which provides a complete<br />
summary of a patient’s<br />
hospital stay to community<br />
health-care providers. The<br />
clinical trial resulted in a<br />
tool that is now used in all<br />
Calgary adult acute care<br />
facilities. It has also been<br />
modified for applications in<br />
intensive care <strong>and</strong> surgery.<br />
Garden Loft Laneway<br />
House: <strong>W21C</strong> partnered with<br />
the University of Calgary’s<br />
School of Architecture,<br />
Planning <strong>and</strong> L<strong>and</strong>scape to<br />
evaluate the prototype of a<br />
laneway home <strong>and</strong> assistive<br />
in-home technologies to<br />
support aging-in-place. This<br />
cutting-edge design aims<br />
to help people live in the<br />
community longer, easing<br />
the burden on the health<br />
system <strong>and</strong> community.<br />
<strong>2020</strong><br />
SPARK Calgary program<br />
launches within <strong>W21C</strong><br />
to support digital health<br />
entrepreneurs (first<br />
Canadian site for the<br />
global SPARK network).<br />
5 <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2020</strong>–<strong>2021</strong><br />
6
CONNECTION<br />
In addition to publishing in<br />
the peer reviewed journal<br />
Infection Control & Hospital<br />
Epidemiology, the DeMaND<br />
study was included in a<br />
December <strong>2020</strong> interim<br />
guidance report to the WHO<br />
on rational use of PPE for<br />
Riley Br<strong>and</strong>t, University of Calgary<br />
COVID-19 <strong>and</strong> considerations<br />
during severe shortages.<br />
The Calgary study team<br />
was featured in a January<br />
UCalgary News story that<br />
was picked up by CBC News,<br />
CBC Radio-Canada, <strong>and</strong><br />
Hospital News. A UCalgary<br />
‘In the Know’ video featuring<br />
Global study investigates decontamination<br />
methods for medical masks<br />
International research collaboration could help alleviate<br />
shortages of personal protective equipment<br />
JULIA MACGREGOR, <strong>W21C</strong><br />
Riley Br<strong>and</strong>t, University of Calgary<br />
Dr. Heyne <strong>and</strong> discussing the<br />
decontamination methods has<br />
received over 350 views.<br />
Personal protective equipment<br />
(PPE) is just as the name makes<br />
clear: personal. Like your toothbrush,<br />
you wouldn’t remove <strong>and</strong> share<br />
your mask or face covering with<br />
your colleague. But if masks can<br />
be decontaminated effectively <strong>and</strong><br />
then reused, you might. This practice<br />
would help combat future global<br />
supply shortages.<br />
<strong>Research</strong>ers at the University<br />
of Calgary were part of the<br />
Development of Methods for Mask<br />
<strong>and</strong> N95 Decontamination (DeMaND)<br />
study. This international multicentre<br />
study evaluated low-cost<br />
decontamination methods to maintain<br />
mask integrity <strong>and</strong> performance for<br />
health-care workers at the frontline.<br />
Masks, including N95 respirators, were<br />
put through two decontamination<br />
processes that are accessible for lowto<br />
middle income countries: dry heat<br />
<strong>and</strong> photodynamic inactivation—<br />
an antimicrobial process where<br />
the mask is sprayed with a nontoxic<br />
solution of methylene blue<br />
<strong>and</strong> then exposed to light, which<br />
creates reactive oxygen species<br />
that kill the virus responsible for<br />
COVID-19. Study results showed<br />
that the photodynamic inactivation<br />
method is effective in killing three<br />
coronaviruses, including SARS-<br />
CoV-2, while still maintaining<br />
mask integrity after five cycles of<br />
decontamination. These results were<br />
published in Infection Control &<br />
Hospital Epidemiology.<br />
“The decontamination methods<br />
we evaluated are low cost, easy<br />
to perform, <strong>and</strong> can be applied<br />
anywhere,” says Dr. Belinda Heyne,<br />
PhD, professor in the Faculty of<br />
Science <strong>and</strong> co-principal investigator<br />
of the Calgary study team. “We have<br />
demonstrated that photodynamic<br />
inactivation is effective in killing<br />
the virus <strong>and</strong> could now be used to<br />
decontaminate masks for safe reuse<br />
in any global setting.”<br />
<strong>W21C</strong>’s Human Factors team was<br />
the only study site to perform<br />
user acceptance testing of the<br />
masks with frontline health-care<br />
providers. They conducted visual<br />
checks, comfort assessments, <strong>and</strong><br />
took participants through a survey<br />
to gather perceptions on how the<br />
decontaminated mask would affect<br />
their ability to perform work, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
efficacy, safety, <strong>and</strong> trustworthiness<br />
of the mask.<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> was also a key player in<br />
bringing the DeMaND study<br />
to Alberta by securing study<br />
partnerships <strong>and</strong> collaborators from<br />
the University of Alberta, AHS, <strong>and</strong><br />
the University of Calgary’s Faculty of<br />
Science. The DeMaND global research<br />
consortium totalled involvement from<br />
13 organizations, universities, <strong>and</strong><br />
laboratories, including the World Health<br />
Organization (WHO) <strong>and</strong> Centers for<br />
Disease Control <strong>and</strong> Prevention.<br />
“In partnership with members of the<br />
global consortium, we are providing<br />
recommendations for countries <strong>and</strong><br />
settings who may not necessarily<br />
have access to sufficient PPE or<br />
limited decontamination facilities,”<br />
says Dr. John Conly, MD, professor<br />
in the Cumming School of Medicine<br />
<strong>and</strong> co-principal investigator of the<br />
Calgary study team.<br />
This global research was supported<br />
by Open Philanthropy, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Alberta study sites were supported<br />
with funding from <strong>Innovation</strong>,<br />
Impact <strong>and</strong> Evidence, Alberta<br />
Health Services. The Calgary study<br />
was led by Dr. Belinda Heyne, PhD,<br />
Faculty of Science, <strong>and</strong> Dr. John<br />
Conly, MD, <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>.<br />
7 <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2020</strong>–<strong>2021</strong> | CONNECTION<br />
8
CONNECTION<br />
<strong>Research</strong>ers<br />
investigate drone<br />
delivery of medical<br />
supplies, equipment,<br />
treatments, <strong>and</strong><br />
diagnostic testing to<br />
remote First Nations<br />
communities during<br />
p<strong>and</strong>emic<br />
Riley Br<strong>and</strong>t, University of Calgary<br />
KELLY JOHNSTON, CUMMING SCHOOL OF MEDICINE<br />
Leah Hennel, Alberta Health Services<br />
COVID-19 has stressed an already<br />
overburdened health-care system <strong>and</strong><br />
its resources. In the face of a global<br />
p<strong>and</strong>emic, having rapid access to<br />
supplies such as personal protective<br />
equipment (PPE), diagnostic<br />
equipment, <strong>and</strong> testing kits provides<br />
a greater ability to prevent, detect,<br />
<strong>and</strong> respond to COVID-19 outbreaks.<br />
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV),<br />
commonly referred to as drones,<br />
may prove to be a valuable tool for<br />
health-care services <strong>and</strong> remote<br />
communities in the battle against<br />
p<strong>and</strong>emics like COVID-19.<br />
<strong>Research</strong>ers at <strong>W21C</strong>, the Southern<br />
Alberta Institute of Technology<br />
(SAIT), AHS, <strong>and</strong> Alberta Precision<br />
Laboratories (APL) have partnered<br />
with the Stoney Nakoda Nations<br />
(SNN) to deliver medical equipment<br />
<strong>and</strong> test kits for COVID-19 to<br />
remote areas, <strong>and</strong> to connect<br />
these communities to laboratories<br />
more quickly using these remotely<br />
piloted aircraft.<br />
Testing for COVID-19 is one of the<br />
most effective tools against helping<br />
to limit its spread. Many remote<br />
communities in Canada do not have<br />
easy access to testing centres <strong>and</strong><br />
medical supplies to support rapid<br />
testing <strong>and</strong> containment. Drones are<br />
a way to help respond to that need.<br />
“Our reserve in Morley has multiple<br />
access points; however, our satellite<br />
reserves in Eden Valley <strong>and</strong> Big Horn<br />
are remote <strong>and</strong> a delivery system<br />
using drones could play a critical<br />
role in the health <strong>and</strong> safety of our<br />
communities,” says Ryan Robb, CEO<br />
of the Stoney Tribal Administration.<br />
“Like many remote Canadian<br />
communities, weather can play a key<br />
role, for example depending on the<br />
time of the year, ice roads <strong>and</strong> floods<br />
can create access barriers.”<br />
“In many areas of Canada, drones<br />
must be guided <strong>and</strong> monitored with<br />
the assistance of line of sight,” says<br />
Wade Hawkins, lead researcher<br />
at SAIT’s <strong>Centre</strong> for <strong>Innovation</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>Research</strong> in Unmanned<br />
Systems (CIRUS) <strong>and</strong> co-principal<br />
investigator on the project. “With<br />
this partnership, we are working<br />
with Transport Canada to gain<br />
approval to move beyond visual<br />
line of sight, enabling us to fly from<br />
a lab or health centre directly to a<br />
remote community.”<br />
Over the past year, researchers<br />
conducted several successful test<br />
runs in remote SNN communities<br />
beyond visual line of site for the<br />
delivery of PPE <strong>and</strong> COVID-19 test<br />
kits. The samples were brought<br />
back to the provincial lab <strong>and</strong> were<br />
able to survive with no degrading<br />
of the specimen. They were also<br />
non-infectious <strong>and</strong> posed no risk to<br />
the public.<br />
Additionally, Dr. Andrew Kirkpatrick,<br />
MD, a trauma surgeon at the<br />
Foothills Medical <strong>Centre</strong>, worked<br />
with the team to deliver a portable<br />
9 <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
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10
CONNECTION<br />
<strong>Research</strong>ers explore<br />
health system<br />
preparedness in<br />
acute <strong>and</strong> primary<br />
care settings<br />
REACHING<br />
NEW<br />
HEIGHTS<br />
Over the past year, the study<br />
was published in two peerreviewed<br />
research journals.<br />
Other top accomplishments<br />
include 661 website <strong>and</strong><br />
social media content<br />
downloads <strong>and</strong> 197 social<br />
media posts—more than<br />
300% <strong>and</strong> 600% of target<br />
key performance indicators<br />
(KPI) respectively. This<br />
Leah Hennel, Alberta Health Services<br />
With the onset of the COVID-19<br />
p<strong>and</strong>emic, acute <strong>and</strong> primary care<br />
centres around the world needed<br />
to make rapid changes to clinical<br />
practices <strong>and</strong> policies to make<br />
sure health-care providers <strong>and</strong><br />
patients were kept safe. In Alberta,<br />
researchers from <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>and</strong> the<br />
University of Calgary’s School of<br />
Public Policy were on the ground on<br />
March 12, <strong>2020</strong>, working alongside<br />
incident management teams <strong>and</strong><br />
frontline clinicians as these new<br />
health system changes were being<br />
rolled out across the province. The<br />
interdisciplinary team-bringing<br />
clinical, human factors, <strong>and</strong> social<br />
science expertise together-observed,<br />
documented, <strong>and</strong> interviewed<br />
frontline health-care providers <strong>and</strong><br />
incident management teams to<br />
underst<strong>and</strong> how these policies were<br />
formed, transmitted, interpreted, <strong>and</strong><br />
implemented. Through this research,<br />
the study team provided real-time<br />
feedback <strong>and</strong> support to primary<br />
<strong>and</strong> acute care teams to improve<br />
practices <strong>and</strong> safety in clinical<br />
settings. This included support to<br />
develop an Infection Prevention<br />
<strong>and</strong> Control (IPC) Community of<br />
Practice—a community of primary<br />
care clinicians focused on identifying<br />
<strong>and</strong> adapting IPC protocols for their<br />
clinics in Calgary <strong>and</strong> across Alberta.<br />
Three papers from the study team’s<br />
portfolio of work were published in<br />
BMJ Global Health, PLOS One, <strong>and</strong><br />
BMJ Simulation <strong>and</strong> Technology<br />
Enhanced Learning.<br />
This research, supported by the<br />
Canadian Institutes of Health<br />
<strong>Research</strong> COVID rapid response fund,<br />
was led by Dr. Myles Leslie, PhD,<br />
School of Public Policy, <strong>and</strong><br />
Dr. John Conly, MD, <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>.<br />
project was featured in a<br />
July <strong>2020</strong> UCalgary News<br />
article <strong>and</strong> UCalgary video<br />
that attracted external<br />
news coverage by the<br />
Calgary Herald, CTV via The<br />
Canadian Press, <strong>and</strong> CBC in<br />
the following months.<br />
ultrasound unit <strong>and</strong> is investigating<br />
its potential for further applications.<br />
“With this device, <strong>and</strong> access to a<br />
smartphone, with connectivity, a<br />
person can be guided remotely by<br />
an expert medical professional to<br />
perform an ultrasound on themselves<br />
or to have someone at the scene<br />
perform it on them,” says Kirkpatrick.<br />
“We’ve confirmed this system can<br />
be used to check for evidence of<br />
COVID-19 in the lungs, <strong>and</strong> I can see it<br />
being utilized for many other medical<br />
emergencies, from diagnosing broken<br />
bones to ruptured spleens.”<br />
<strong>Research</strong>ers are now in the final<br />
stages of testing <strong>and</strong> refining the<br />
St<strong>and</strong>ard Operating Procedures<br />
(SOP) or the drones beyond<br />
visual line of site in locations with<br />
different terrain, environmental<br />
conditions, <strong>and</strong> distances. SAIT<br />
will also be delivering flight school<br />
training for youth at SNN, with the<br />
goal of building the capacity for<br />
the local communities to administer<br />
<strong>and</strong> coordinate future flights.<br />
If this Calgary drone delivery<br />
initiative proves effective, Conly says<br />
the project could grow into a tool<br />
used nationally <strong>and</strong> even globally to<br />
respond to medical emergencies in<br />
remote <strong>and</strong> isolated areas.<br />
This research is supported by TransAlta Corporation, the World Health<br />
Organization (WHO), an anonymous donor, <strong>and</strong> the Nickle Family Foundation.<br />
The research is led by co-principal investigators: Dr. John Conly, MD, <strong>and</strong><br />
Dr. Barry Baylis, MD, <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>, Dr. Andrew<br />
Kirkpatrick, MD, AHS, <strong>and</strong> Wade Hawkins, SAIT.<br />
University of Calgary drug discovery aims to<br />
reduce inflammation in COVID-19 patients:<br />
Metablok clinical trial<br />
Sometimes a discovery made several<br />
years ago can find a new purpose.<br />
Metablok, a drug discovered<br />
<strong>and</strong> developed by University of<br />
Calgary researchers in the Arnie<br />
Charbonneau <strong>and</strong> Snyder Institutes,<br />
was originally created to reduce<br />
inflammation in the lungs <strong>and</strong> liver.<br />
Now the drug has found a new<br />
possible application to help prevent<br />
organ damage <strong>and</strong> acute kidney<br />
injury in hospitalized COVID-19<br />
patients. The company, Arch<br />
Biopartners, received federal funding<br />
to support the development of the<br />
drug commercially for COVID-19<br />
applications, with an international<br />
multi-centre clinical trial of 60<br />
patients. Dr. Alain Tremblay, MD,<br />
professor in the Cumming School of<br />
Medicine <strong>and</strong> principal investigator<br />
for the Calgary study site, was<br />
supported by <strong>W21C</strong>’s clinical trials<br />
team for participant monitoring<br />
<strong>and</strong> follow-up after the drug had<br />
been administered. The results<br />
from this study will inform the next<br />
phase of clinical trials with a larger<br />
number of participants to ensure it<br />
is safe <strong>and</strong> effective, with the goal<br />
of commercializing the drug <strong>and</strong><br />
adopting it into clinical practice.<br />
11 <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
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12
COLLABORATION<br />
SPARK Calgary:<br />
A success story<br />
Translating academic digital health innovations into clinical practice<br />
Often great innovations can get stuck in the research<br />
phase <strong>and</strong> do not make it out of the lab <strong>and</strong> into the<br />
h<strong>and</strong>s of those who need it. Launched in April <strong>2020</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
led by Dr. Scott Kraft, MD, <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong><br />
<strong>Centre</strong>, SPARK Calgary helps academic researchers,<br />
post-doctoral scholars, <strong>and</strong> students with digital health<br />
innovations bridge that gap, increasing potential for<br />
these important ideas <strong>and</strong> discoveries to make it into<br />
clinical practice to benefit patients <strong>and</strong> the community.<br />
These digital health innovations include products such as<br />
mobile applications for patients, monitoring or diagnostic<br />
2<br />
cohorts<br />
launched<br />
15<br />
project presentations to<br />
industry advisors<br />
SPARK CALGARY<br />
YEAR AT A GLANCE<br />
technologies, <strong>and</strong> data visualization software.<br />
SPARK Calgary is part of the SPARK Global network.<br />
Initiated in 2006 at Stanford University, SPARK Global is<br />
comprised of more than 60 academic institutions across<br />
six continents. <strong>W21C</strong> is the first <strong>and</strong> only Canadian site.<br />
In its first year, SPARK Calgary supported 11 digital health<br />
project teams with group mentorship from industry<br />
experts, educational seminars for product <strong>and</strong> business<br />
development, project management support, <strong>and</strong> in-kind<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> research services.<br />
$40K<br />
in Alberta Innovates<br />
<strong>and</strong> Calgary<br />
<strong>Innovation</strong> Coalition<br />
funding for the<br />
SPARK program<br />
12<br />
education sessions to<br />
297<br />
attendees<br />
Digital health platform aims to reduce<br />
antimicrobial resistance: Firstline<br />
Since the discovery of penicillin in<br />
1928, antibiotics have become a<br />
foundation for modern medicine,<br />
<strong>and</strong> continue to significantly improve<br />
our lives. However, years of overuse<br />
are causing increasing rates of<br />
antimicrobial resistance (AMR)<br />
around the world. A digital clinical<br />
decision support platform created<br />
by Canadian company Firstline<br />
Clinical, was developed to combat<br />
<strong>and</strong> prevent the overuse of broadspectrum<br />
antibiotics. Their goal is<br />
to become the worldwide digital<br />
steward to increase adherence to<br />
prescription guidelines <strong>and</strong> reduce<br />
AMR. <strong>W21C</strong> worked with Firstline<br />
to conduct a heuristic evaluation<br />
of their iOS <strong>and</strong> Android-based<br />
smart phone application (SApp),<br />
as well as the web-based content<br />
management system (CMS). More<br />
recently, Firstline has been working<br />
with <strong>W21C</strong> to customize <strong>and</strong> launch<br />
the application globally, <strong>and</strong> it is<br />
currently being used across Canada,<br />
the United States, Europe, Southeast<br />
Asia, <strong>and</strong> Africa. In Canada, the app<br />
is servicing over 400,000 healthcare<br />
providers, with nearly 300,000<br />
uses to date within AHS alone. The<br />
platform is customizable to local<br />
health guidelines <strong>and</strong> continues to be<br />
quickly updated to include relevant<br />
COVID-19 support pages. In <strong>2020</strong>,<br />
Firstline <strong>and</strong> their partners received<br />
over $4 million from Canada’s Digital<br />
Technology Supercluster to build<br />
a global knowledge network for<br />
infectious diseases, <strong>and</strong> to develop a<br />
software solution for researchers to<br />
harness COVID-related genomic <strong>and</strong><br />
clinical data. New versions are now<br />
being developed for the WHO as well<br />
as for use by veterinarians—creating<br />
impact in both human<br />
<strong>and</strong> animal health.<br />
11<br />
teams<br />
with over<br />
50<br />
Including students, PhD<br />
c<strong>and</strong>idates, post-docs, faculty<br />
Affiliated with or alumni<br />
of 8 academic institutions<br />
Spanning 9 university faculties<br />
22<br />
industry advisors<br />
from across Canada<br />
(BC, Alberta, Ontario)<br />
team members<br />
supported<br />
PARTNERSHIPS<br />
Innovate Calgary<br />
Platform Calgary<br />
Venture Mentoring<br />
Service of Alberta<br />
(VMSA)<br />
Life Sciences<br />
<strong>Innovation</strong> Hub<br />
INITIATED AND CHAIR FOR<br />
SPARK AMERICAS<br />
Members = SPARK Stanford, Wyoming,<br />
Mexico, Colorado, Clevel<strong>and</strong> Clinic<br />
Aim to provide opportunities for team<br />
members <strong>and</strong> advisors to connect across sites<br />
Share best practices on SPARK<br />
Collaborate on educational programming<br />
$30k<br />
in funding secured by<br />
teams since joining<br />
SPARK Calgary<br />
335<br />
people engaged<br />
through public<br />
outreach events<br />
Software platform focuses on<br />
enhancing stroke treatment triage:<br />
StrokeSENS<br />
In Canada, stroke is the third<br />
leading cause of death <strong>and</strong> the<br />
leading cause of adult disability.<br />
Every year, there are over 50,000<br />
new strokes in our country—<br />
approximately one stroke every 10<br />
minutes. In 1993, neurologist Dr.<br />
Camilo Gomez coined a fundamental<br />
rule of stroke treatment, ‘time is<br />
brain.’ This rule still holds today,<br />
meaning that quick identification<br />
<strong>and</strong> accurate imaging interpretation<br />
are essential at front-line hospitals<br />
for the successful treatment of<br />
strokes. StrokeSENS, created by<br />
Circle Neurovascular Imaging Inc.,<br />
was designed specifically for this<br />
purpose. This software platform,<br />
developed by expert physicians,<br />
acts as a clinical decision support<br />
tool for non-stroke physicians in a<br />
variety of urban <strong>and</strong> rural locations.<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> was approached by Circle<br />
Neurovascular Imaging Inc. to<br />
perform a heuristic evaluation with<br />
design experts to help them enhance<br />
the overall usability of their platform.<br />
In the future, they hope to integrate<br />
StrokeSENS into the clinical pathway<br />
for stroke care. This tool could be<br />
used to enhance patient triage,<br />
providing information on key stroke<br />
indicators (aspects) <strong>and</strong> enabling the<br />
physicians to underst<strong>and</strong> whether<br />
a patient should go to a specialized<br />
acute stroke care centre for<br />
treatment (e.g., the Foothills Medical<br />
<strong>Centre</strong>), or if they can be cared for in<br />
other health-care facilities.<br />
ADDITIONAL <strong>W21C</strong><br />
DIGITAL HEALTH<br />
STATS<br />
$1,925,254<br />
in external grants <strong>and</strong><br />
industry sponsored<br />
funding from 2018-<strong>2021</strong><br />
28 digital health<br />
projects supported<br />
Health <strong>Innovation</strong><br />
Platform Partnership’s<br />
Stage 1 Grant<br />
Launch of SPARK<br />
Calgary program<br />
13<br />
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14
COMMUNITY<br />
Sheena Bates is a fulltime<br />
family caregiver<br />
at home for her<br />
husb<strong>and</strong>, Paul, who<br />
lives with dementia.<br />
Daniel Gaetano is a<br />
full-time caregiver<br />
for his wife, Janet.<br />
Janet is living with<br />
dementia <strong>and</strong> resides<br />
in a long-term<br />
care facility.<br />
This research was<br />
featured in a March<br />
<strong>2021</strong> UCalgary News<br />
story that was then<br />
picked up by the<br />
Calgary Herald <strong>and</strong><br />
Calgary Sun, creating<br />
further awareness<br />
about the needs of<br />
family caregivers in<br />
Alberta.<br />
The Impact of COVID-19 on family<br />
caregivers for persons living with dementia<br />
<strong>Research</strong> highlights system gaps <strong>and</strong> family needs during COVID-19<br />
JULIA MACGREGOR, <strong>W21C</strong><br />
The p<strong>and</strong>emic has tested our resolve,<br />
posing restrictions on who we can<br />
see, what we can do, <strong>and</strong> where<br />
we can go. For family caregivers to<br />
people living with dementia at home,<br />
in long-term care or supportive living<br />
facilities, the p<strong>and</strong>emic has not only<br />
isolated them, but the critical care<br />
resources <strong>and</strong> social support systems<br />
they rely on have also been cut or<br />
dramatically reconfigured. This lack<br />
of support has continued throughout<br />
multiple waves of the virus in Alberta.<br />
Dr. Gwen McGhan, PhD, Faculty of<br />
Nursing, <strong>and</strong> Dr. Deirdre McCaughey,<br />
PhD, Cumming School of Medicine,<br />
with support from the <strong>W21C</strong><br />
<strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>,<br />
conducted a survey during the height<br />
of Alberta’s COVID-19 restrictions.<br />
<strong>Research</strong>ers heard from more<br />
than 200 Calgary area residents<br />
who look after people living with<br />
dementia. Results of the initial study<br />
highlighted the burden of COVID-19<br />
policies <strong>and</strong> public health restrictions<br />
on caregivers <strong>and</strong> their inability to<br />
support their loved ones.<br />
“Being a family caregiver is an unpaid<br />
<strong>and</strong> often unsupported role, but an<br />
essential role, nonetheless,” says<br />
McGhan, who is a registered nurse<br />
<strong>and</strong> principal investigator of the study.<br />
“Family caregivers provide physical,<br />
emotional, <strong>and</strong> financial support<br />
to a parent, spouse, neighbour or<br />
friend, <strong>and</strong> help them with essential<br />
everyday tasks they may not be able<br />
complete by themselves.”<br />
Family caregivers Sheena Bates<br />
<strong>and</strong> Daniel Gaetano have partnered<br />
with these University of Calgary<br />
researchers to generate awareness<br />
of these challenges <strong>and</strong> provide<br />
policy recommendations for future<br />
emergency planning.<br />
Sheena Bates is a full-time family<br />
caregiver at home for her husb<strong>and</strong>,<br />
Paul, who lives with dementia, <strong>and</strong><br />
the role is complex. “You always<br />
have to be on the ball, you are<br />
responsible,” says Bates. “You need<br />
to still respect their independence<br />
as much as you can. I keep reading<br />
<strong>and</strong> trying to learn more to help<br />
us <strong>and</strong> other people in the same<br />
position. It can be tough.”<br />
Bates has been providing full-time<br />
care for Paul at home since 2017,<br />
assisting him with tasks such as<br />
dressing, showering, shaving, <strong>and</strong><br />
toileting. Before the p<strong>and</strong>emic, Paul<br />
attended adult day programs, <strong>and</strong><br />
together they would participate<br />
in conversation cafes <strong>and</strong> other<br />
meetings for family caregivers <strong>and</strong><br />
their partners. They also received a<br />
few hours of respite care each week.<br />
COVID-19 halted all these supports.<br />
“Paul’s needs increased, at least<br />
partly because of no social contact,<br />
<strong>and</strong> that all falls on you,” says<br />
Bates. “We couldn’t see other<br />
family members or friends for some<br />
months; it was very isolating.”<br />
Daniel Gaetano has been a full-time<br />
family caregiver for his wife, Janet,<br />
since 2015, who is now in a long-term<br />
care facility. Before the p<strong>and</strong>emic,<br />
Gaetano would visit twice a day to<br />
support her at mealtimes, provide<br />
connection, <strong>and</strong> to keep her walking.<br />
With the restrictions he was unable<br />
to access the facility to provide care<br />
for Janet.<br />
“All of a sudden you have this big<br />
void. You are her caregiver; this is<br />
who you are, <strong>and</strong> this is what you do,”<br />
says Gaetano. “When that was taken<br />
away, you can’t really start anything<br />
else. You just have to wait until you<br />
can become her caregiver again.”<br />
The feedback from caregivers<br />
through this study has allowed<br />
the researchers to provide several<br />
policy recommendations to enhance<br />
community supports: maintaining<br />
tailored caregiving assistance <strong>and</strong><br />
resources; providing clear, correct,<br />
<strong>and</strong> concise information on public<br />
health protocols; <strong>and</strong> allowing family<br />
caregivers continued access to<br />
care recipients as they provide an<br />
essential role. As the virus continues<br />
to adapt <strong>and</strong> family caregivers wait<br />
for their resources <strong>and</strong> support<br />
services to resume, there is an<br />
ongoing need to underst<strong>and</strong> their<br />
experiences in order to guide future<br />
policy recommendations.<br />
“As an unpaid caregiver, fatigue<br />
<strong>and</strong> anxiety is still happening,”<br />
says Gaetano. “The p<strong>and</strong>emic has<br />
highlighted these issues for<br />
unpaid caregivers.”<br />
This research led by Dr. Gwen<br />
McGhan, RN, PhD, Faculty of Nursing<br />
<strong>and</strong> Dr. Deirdre McCaughey, PhD,<br />
Cumming School of Medicine,<br />
was conducted in partnership <strong>and</strong><br />
supported by the Alzheimer Society<br />
of Calgary, Dementia Network<br />
Calgary, Alzheimer Society of Alberta<br />
<strong>and</strong> Northwest Territories, the<br />
Drummond Foundation, <strong>and</strong> Alberta<br />
SPOR Support Unit.<br />
15<br />
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COMMUNITY<br />
Alberta Health Services’ Assess, Treat,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Refer Coordination <strong>Centre</strong><br />
Improving access to mobile medicine for health care<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> helped our<br />
program identify new<br />
process improvement<br />
ideas, which in turn<br />
allowed us to implement<br />
solutions that increased our<br />
overall efficiency <strong>and</strong> quality of<br />
care we provide to our patients.<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> was able to exp<strong>and</strong><br />
upon on our current patient<br />
care model by allowing us to<br />
step back <strong>and</strong> find previously<br />
unidentified patterns <strong>and</strong><br />
connections that turned into<br />
new ideas <strong>and</strong> solutions. The<br />
support the <strong>W21C</strong> provided our<br />
Community Paramedic program<br />
was fantastic <strong>and</strong> we continue to<br />
implement solutions based on<br />
the recommendations created by<br />
the <strong>W21C</strong> team.”<br />
Ryan Kozicky<br />
Director, EMS Mobile Integrated Healthcare<br />
THANK YOU<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> acts as a research consultancy, supporting<br />
innovators from the health system, academic<br />
institutions, industry, <strong>and</strong> the public sector. We<br />
receive core operational funding from a variety<br />
of provincial, national, <strong>and</strong> international funding<br />
bodies, peer-reviewed granting agencies,<br />
corporate donors, <strong>and</strong> industry partnerships.<br />
This funding enables <strong>W21C</strong> to provide research<br />
expertise <strong>and</strong> lab infrastructure on a cost-recovery<br />
basis, allowing us to validate new technological<br />
solutions <strong>and</strong> applications in real health-care<br />
settings. We also receive grants supporting<br />
specific research projects. The funding received<br />
to date has strengthened our international<br />
reputation as a trusted <strong>and</strong> impartial source of<br />
high-quality research services <strong>and</strong> evidence—<br />
helping innovators bring new products to market<br />
<strong>and</strong> improving patient safety <strong>and</strong> quality of care in<br />
our health systems.<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE<br />
We would like to thank the <strong>W21C</strong> Executive<br />
Committee, which is currently comprised of<br />
our founders <strong>and</strong> senior research faculty. This<br />
committee works closely with the directors to<br />
provide strategic guidance to the <strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>.<br />
ALEX BARON, <strong>W21C</strong><br />
The AHS Assess, Treat, <strong>and</strong> Refer<br />
(ATR) Coordination <strong>Centre</strong>, a<br />
community paramedicine program,<br />
provides an incredible service.<br />
Every day, their interdisciplinary<br />
team of patient coordinators (PCs),<br />
community paramedics, <strong>and</strong> on-call<br />
physicians strive to improve access<br />
<strong>and</strong> provide innovative approaches<br />
to mobile medicine for health care.<br />
ATR increases accessibility to primary<br />
<strong>and</strong> urgent care, by coordinating with<br />
local care practitioners to support inhome<br />
medical treatment for patients.<br />
Through this unique approach<br />
to patient care, the ATR reduces<br />
the burden on our health system,<br />
providing services traditionally<br />
requiring emergency medical<br />
services (EMS), emergency<br />
departments, or hospital admissions.<br />
In performing their duties <strong>and</strong><br />
completing their assignments, the<br />
ATR team works with a variety of<br />
software <strong>and</strong> digital tools. The ATR<br />
program managers were looking to<br />
underst<strong>and</strong> if these technological<br />
systems cause undue cognitive strain<br />
<strong>and</strong> inefficiency on their team.<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> worked with the ATR team to<br />
conduct a multi-phase evaluation<br />
of their technological systems. This<br />
project was conducted in two<br />
phases. In Phase 1, <strong>W21C</strong> identified<br />
information <strong>and</strong> communication<br />
technology requirements that<br />
would enhance performance <strong>and</strong><br />
satisfaction for the PCs. In Phase 2,<br />
the <strong>W21C</strong> Human Factors team<br />
sought to underst<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> document<br />
the workflows, skills, <strong>and</strong> traits<br />
that PCs require to undertake their<br />
tasks <strong>and</strong> roles within the ATR<br />
Coordination <strong>Centre</strong>.<br />
Through observations <strong>and</strong> interviews<br />
with ATR staff in Calgary, the<br />
research team recognized that much<br />
of the work undertaken by the staff<br />
closely resembled that of an IT help desk ticketing<br />
system. They identified twelve core challenging<br />
tasks within the ATR program with the possibility<br />
for refinement. Working as the comm<strong>and</strong> centre for<br />
the entire South Zone, ATR staff would h<strong>and</strong>le such<br />
tasks as scheduling appointments, coordinating with<br />
care practitioners, <strong>and</strong> communicating with external<br />
health-care staff, just to name a few, with many of<br />
these tasks being repetitive <strong>and</strong> mentally tedious.<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> provided AHS with recommendations to<br />
alleviate the mental burdens for the staff members<br />
<strong>and</strong> suggested that greater investment in automation<br />
would further ease those challenges. These could<br />
be valuable as the Government of Alberta looks<br />
to merge the ATR program with other potentially<br />
similar programs in the future.<br />
John Conly, MD, Medical Director<br />
Barry Baylis, MD, Senior <strong>Research</strong>er <strong>and</strong><br />
Executive Committee Member<br />
William Ghali, MD, MPH, Senior <strong>Research</strong>er <strong>and</strong><br />
Executive Committee Member<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> is also supported by academic faculty<br />
conducting population or health systems research,<br />
<strong>and</strong> individuals working on the front lines of patient<br />
care. These leaders continue to identify gaps or<br />
opportunities within the health system <strong>and</strong> work<br />
with us to explore solutions. Please visit w21c.<br />
org/about for a full list of operations <strong>and</strong> research<br />
teams, academic faculty, <strong>and</strong> Unit 36 leadership.<br />
17<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2020</strong>–<strong>2021</strong> | COMMUNITY 18
GD01, TRW Building<br />
3280 Hospital Drive NW<br />
Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6<br />
Canada<br />
403.210.6975<br />
w21c@ucalgary.ca<br />
<strong>W21C</strong><br />
<strong>W21C</strong><br />
<strong>W21C</strong>, University of Calgary<br />
#makingcarebetter<br />
<strong>W21C</strong> is located on the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta.<br />
The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.