Winner
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre: Immune and Molecular Therapy Bolstering and Supporting Patient Adverse Event (IMBRASE) Program
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is improving quality of care for people with cancer by proactively monitoring melanoma patients.
IMBRASE is a symptom assessment protocol and management algorithm for people with advanced or metastatic melanoma who are receiving immunotherapy drug treatment. The program follows the patients proactively and manages their care in a tailored manner, determined by patient characteristics and risk level.
Before the IMBRASE program, the strategy for monitoring melanoma patients was reactive, where patients would speak with different nurses throughout their care, and receive multiple assessments and advice on managing their symptoms and side effects.
The program has led to fewer emergency department visits for high-risk patients. It has improved patient safety, responsiveness, access to care and timely intervention.
Team Members: Dr. Marcus Butler, Dr. Sam Saibil, Nancy Gregorio, Michelle Mackay, Lesley Moody, Dr. Luisa Bonilla, Dr. Anna Spreafico, Dr. David Hogg, Simonne Simon, Alyssa Macadeo, Diana Grey, Dr. Keith Stewart.
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Video to showcase Princess Margaret Cancer Centre’s initiative
Winner
The Ottawa Hospital: Palliative Care Nurse Specialist in the Emergency Department
The Ottawa Hospital is improving the quality of care for people with cancer and palliative care needs by integrating palliative care resources into the emergency department to involve palliative care earlier in the patient’s care.
A palliative care nurse specialist is available for consultation Monday to Friday at the emergency department. The nurse specialist supports discharges to appropriate community settings, increases coordination between the emergency department staff and community resources, and provides mentorship and education.
The project has led to improvements to patient care as patients are transferred to hospice or palliative care directly from either the emergency department or home with a few days. It has also enhanced the relationship between the emergency department and palliative care teams, optimized community resources and aligned care with patient preferences.
Team Members: Katie Nichol, Sara Olivier, Lisa Galitzine, Dr. Lisa Fischer, Dennis Garvin.
Video to showcase The Ottawa Hospital’s initiative
Honourable Mention
St. Michael’s Hospital: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Implement Personalized Multifaceted Care Plans as Standard Breast Cancer Care in Oncology Clinics
A multidisciplinary approach to personalize care at St. Michael’s Hospital is improving the quality of care for people with breast cancer. The oncology team creates personalized multifaceted care plans by entering non-repetitive clinical data into a standalone application (Care Plan App). The application then generates a paper-based personalized treatment plan and a care plan.
The treatment and care plans have resulted in better care coordination and communication, and more efficient care transition between the care team. Family physicians have overwhelmingly agreed that the personalized multifaceted care plan allowed them to ‘stay in the loop’ in their patient’s care. Patients have found that the personalized plan has helped them actively participate in their care and communicate better with their oncology team.
Team Members: Dr. Rashida Haq, Pauline Gulasingam, Amy Kong, Marta Bisiker, Charmaine Mothersill, Anna Kacikanis, Dr. Ronita Lee, Norma McVeigh.
Video to showcase St. Michael’s Hospital’s initiative
