Ottawa, ON – Pallium Canada is pleased to announce the recipient of the first Education Evaluation Research Grant.
As part of Pallium’s commitment to advancing palliative care in Canada through research, Pallium launched the Education Evaluation Research Grant in 2023, to catalyze and develop new evidence related to palliative care educational programs and their impact on clinical practice, patient experience, and health systems performance
With the support of this investment, Dr. Kelly Fenn, Physician Lead for Community Palliative Care in Grey Bruce, in partnership with Brightshores Health System’s Research and Innovation team, the project will evaluate Pallium Canada’s Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) courses recently completed by health care providers and system administrators in the Grey Bruce region.
In rural areas like Grey Bruce, palliative care education and training is crucial as access to specialized palliative care services are limited and most palliative care is delivered by primary care, hospitalists, and in acute care settings. Palliative care education and training, such as Pallium’s LEAP program, are crucial to ensuring patients in rural areas receive high quality palliative and end-of-life care.
In response to a recent one-time funding opportunity from Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) and the Ontario Palliative Care Network, the Grey Bruce region received approximately $138,000 in 2023 to implement widespread LEAP training as part of a provincial strategy to enhance the capabilities of health care professionals aligned with the Ontario Palliative Care Competency Framework. Special thanks to Elizabeth Pungitore from London Health Science Centre’s South West Regional Cancer Program who was instrumental in coordinating this education, as well as developing the application for this current project.
The Grey Bruce palliative care education evaluation research project will assess the effectiveness of LEAP training, specifically LEAP Core, LEAP Mini, LEAP Paramedic, and LEAP Leaders, to address their impact on improving skills, knowledge, and competency levels among health care professionals in rural Southwestern Ontario.
Notably, this grant signifies a significant milestone for Brightshores Health System’s Research and Innovation team. After transitioning from Grey Bruce Health Services to Brightshores Health System earlier this year, the Office of Research and Innovation was launched, focusing on rural health care innovation. The Pallium grant marks the first research grant that Brightshore’s Office of Research and Innovation has received. The team’s enthusiasm and dedication to advancing palliative care align seamlessly with the overarching goals of this groundbreaking project.
Visit Pallium’s Education Evaluation Research Grant webpage to learn more about this exciting project.
About Pallium Canada:
Pallium Canada is a national, non-profit organization based in Ottawa. For over two decades, it has played a pivotal role in empowering health care organizations by offering palliative care education and resources to professionals in diverse care settings.
About Brightshores Health System:
Brightshores Health System is a multi-site regional healthcare provider committed to delivering exceptional patient care, advancing medical research, and providing education and training to healthcare professionals. With a focus on innovation and community well-being, Brightshores strives to be a leader in healthcare excellence.
For more information, please contact:
Georgina Dunn
Digital Marketing and Communications Manager
gdunn@pallium.ca
(343) 803-4634
