The Knowledge Translation Challenge is an annual program run in collaboration between Providence Health Care, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and BC Cancer, using a comprehensive approach that combines training, mentoring and funding to help clinicians build skills and confidence to identify, implement, and evaluate evidence- informed practice improvements.
“Developing a program for clinicians with competing priorities can include some challenges,” notes Aggie Black, PHC’s Director Research and KT, and the PHC lead for the KT Challenge, but she adds, “The collaborative approach between the three organizations helped ensure nursing and allied health professionals had the support they needed, and we’re delighted to announce funding for two excellent PHC projects.”
The KT Challenge includes a very intentional collaboration with patient partners, who offer crucial feedback to strengthen the clarity and impact of the projects. “Having the opportunity to be a KT Challenge Committee member and overseeing the program was very relevant to me as a patient,” adds Kristi Coldwell. “I was able to offer tangible, meaningful ways to integrate more inclusive patient and family perspectives into the overall program and funding aspect.”
We congratulate the two PHC teams funded this year!
Supporting Clinical Informatics Competency Development among Clinical Informatics Specialists at Providence Health Care
Jillisa Byard’s team, pictured left to right: Kathy Ho, Alex Williams, Jillisa Byard. Mentor: Dr Maura MacPhee.
Jillisa notes, “Our team decided to participate in the KT Challenge because we have collectively been wanting to increase our competencies in clinical informatics but we wanted to do so in a structured and sustainable way. This KT Challenge provides mentor support and practical application of our project. Through the literature review process we have learned about several validated clinical informatics competency tools, as well as integrated knowledge translation (iKT) as a collaborative approach to this work.”
Jillisa’s project has several goals, including providing stakeholders across PHC with a better understanding of clinical informatics roles, increasing the team’s skills around clinical informatics and having a positive learning experience collectively through iKT.
“If you have an evidence-based idea you are wanting to implement, the KT Challenge is a great way to move these forward with guidance from experts in KT,” explains Jillisa.
Patient education and screening about persistent pain after Cesarean delivery
Janny Ke’s team, pictured left to right: Trina Montemurro, Ainsley Sutherland, Janny Ke, Alana Flexman, Brittany Hebbes, Marianne Vidler, Anton Chau, Nicola Edwards, Wendy Yao. Team members not pictured: Kelly Pickerill, Laura Saville, Valerie Rychel and Reagan Covey. Mentor: Dr Sarah Munro.
Following cesarean delivery, up to 15 per cent of individuals develop chronic pain, and 2 per cent require persistent opioid prescription. Chronic pain significantly impacts functional recovery and quality of life for postpartum individuals, babies, and their families. However, there is currently no established mechanism for postpartum patients who are discharged home to be routinely assessed for persistent pain, nor receive timely referral to pain specialists. To address this unmet need, Janny’s team set a goal to design and implement a program at PHC that streamlines routine assessment and prompt referral for persistent pain to the Transitional Pain Clinic.
Janny explains, “The KT Challenge represents an opportunity to lead a digital innovation program to improve recovery and wellbeing after obstetric surgery, and the experience from the KT Challenge mentors/facilitators will help provide the guidance, framework, and organizational support to make this goal a reality.”
Janny encourages others to participate in the KT Challenge program: “The guidance, knowledge, and support we received from the program has been very helpful.”
Click here to learn about the winning teams from Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.
