UBC Health, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, is proud to announce the awarding of seed grant funding for five innovative research projects responding directly to critical health priorities in British Columbia. This program underscores the synergy between academic research and health policy, with this year’s funded projects focusing on enhancing pharmacy practice, improving access to contraception, and exploring the potential of wearable technology in home care.

This initiative targets research projects that align with the Ministry of Health’s strategic priorities, showcasing a shared commitment to advancing health through interdisciplinary research collaborations and knowledge exchange between UBC and the Ministry. UBC Health convened an interdisciplinary review committee of UBC researchers that selected the following projects to receive funding, highlighting the significant expertise and capacity in these priority areas across the province.

Question: What is pharmacists’ perception of quality of care in the context of prescribing for minor ailments and contraception? What are enablers and barriers to pharmacists providing quality prescribing? What provincial strategies are needed to support quality prescribing by pharmacists?

Project Title: Developing Quality of Care Indicators for Community-Based Pharmacist Prescribing of Minor Ailments and Contraception (PPMAC) in British Columbia

• Principal Investigator: Karen Dahri, Associate Professor (Partner), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UBC Vancouver
• This project seeks to develop and implement quality of care indicators for pharmacists prescribing minor ailments and contraception, enhancing the standard of care within community pharmacy practice.

Question: How has the contraceptive coverage policy and pharmacist prescribing for contraceptives through the Minor Ailments and Contraceptive Services changed access to contraception care for teens and young adults in BC?

Project Title: Exploring the impact of policy interventions on equitable access to contraception for teens and young adults in British Columbia

• Principal Investigator: Sarah Munro, Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, UBC Vancouver
• Focused on assessing the impact of recent policy changes on contraceptive access for teens and young adults, this research aims to improve healthcare equity and access through policy and practice evaluation.

Question: What are the barriers and facilitators in pharmacists assessing and prescribing contraceptives since the expanded scope of practice on June 1, 2023? What strategies should be implemented to mitigate identified barriers?

Project Title: Barriers and facilitators to pharmacist contraception prescribing: A qualitative approach to gain a deeper understanding of pharmacist and patient perspectives.

• Principal Investigator: Teri (Theresa) Charrois, Associate Dean of Practice Innovation, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UBC Vancouver
• Focusing on the expanded role of pharmacists in contraceptive care, this project explores the practical barriers and facilitators to effective prescribing. It seeks to develop strategies to enhance pharmacist engagement and patient access to essential contraceptive services.

Project Title: Barriers and Facilitators for Pharmacists to Prescribe Contraception in BC: a mixed-methods study

• Principal Investigator: Laura Schummers, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UBC Vancouver
• By examining the attitudes, practices, and challenges faced by pharmacists in prescribing contraceptives, this project aims to identify key factors affecting service delivery. The goal is to propose actionable solutions to improve access and quality of contraceptive care from pharmacists.

Question: Hospital at Home provides acute care to eligible patients in the comfort of their homes. Could mass-market or medical wearable devices be deployed by health authorities to provide patient-centred and efficient Hospital at Home patient monitoring? If so, which devices are the most patient-centred?

Project Title: Technology Enabled Care for Hospital at Home (TEC4HaH): Selecting and Evaluating Patient-Centred Devices for the Safe and Appropriate Use in Hospital at Home

• Principal Investigator: Kendall Ho, Professor and Lead, Department of Emergency Medicine, Digital Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UBC Vancouver
• Investigating the use of wearable technology to support patient-centred care in the Hospital at Home program, this project aims to improve patient outcomes through innovative healthcare delivery models.

Teo Quay, Research Manager at UBC Health, emphasized the importance of these collaborative efforts: “This partnership with the Ministry of Health not only bridges UBC research with health policy and system needs but also catalyzes the development of meaningful collaborations that are producing innovative health solutions to meet the needs of British Columbians.”

For more information about the research projects and program, visit the UBC Health website.