VPSA-funded projects are allowing physicians and their colleagues to advance patient care while building collegial relationships. Small Steps, Big Idea funds new initiatives as well as providing follow-up funding for projects being conducted in stages.
One phased project is Understanding Healthcare Provider and Patient Experiences with Emergency Department Suboxone led by Dr. Jessica Moe. Phase 2 of the project is gathering stakeholder feedback, while also prioritizing planning for sustainability. Dr. Moe is engaging with leaders at the department, hospital, and regional levels to share program successes along with valuable patient and provider feedback. This helps her advocate for improved point-of-care, patient-centred addictions services in the VGH Emergency Department. The current VPSA funding is also being used to build key relationships as well as infrastructure and patient and provider supports that will allow the Suboxone program to be sustained into the future.
“There are many competing demands on Emergency clinical staff time, which make it difficult to engage patients in Suboxone use,” said Dr. Moe, “but we’re working to streamline processes to maximize efficiencies and decrease barriers. Thanks to the VPSA funding, we have supported time to improve our methods of engaging multidisciplinary providers. We’re creating mechanisms for feedback and ensuring timely responses that address concerns.”
Another ongoing project getting a boost from Small Steps, Big Idea funding is the Type 1 Diabetes Adolescent Transition Framework Pilot led by Dr. Joseph Leung. The original project created a standardized transition policy for this patient group. Dr. Leung and his colleagues are now working to implement the new framework (called Next Steps) in pediatric clinics across BC.
“We have enthusiastic partnerships with the Campbell River Pediatric Diabetes Centre and the Prince George Pediatric Diabetes Centre to pilot the framework,” he said. “We want to strengthen relations with these clinical teams as there is an urgent need to create a referral pathway to adult diabetes care there since there are no adult endocrinologists in these communities.”
Dr. Leung and his colleagues are grateful for the Small Steps, Big Idea funding that they are using to adapt the current framework into a compatible format for each participating clinic. He anticipates applying for funding on an ongoing basis as implementation of the framework moves forward.
Do you have a big idea that needs funding? Check out our criteria and apply. Upcoming application deadlines are November 30, 2022 and January 31, 2023.