Alberta Innovates- Health Solutions - Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research

HSUOC is a permanent, arm's length organization empowered and funded by the Government of Alberta through the Minister of Health & Wellness. Its mission is to independently monitor, evaluate and report to Albertans on the quality, safety and performance of the publicly funded health care system, and to collaborate with stakeholders for continuous improvement.

The Health Commission recently published a study entitled "Satisfaction with Health Care Services: Survey of Albertans 2003". This study reported that 14% of Albertans say that they, or a member of their immediate family, experienced a medical mistake that resulted in serious harm during their care in Alberta's health system during the past year. This data is similar to the findings of studies of hospital care in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand, which have identified adverse events in up to 17% of patients. These findings suggest that a significant number of patients are experiencing harm that stems from health-care management and not directly from disease.

The Commission wants to build knowledge and capacity for applied research in this area and, in collaboration with AHFMR, is offering a Fellowship in patient safety.

The HSUOC Fellowship

1. Description

   The HSUOC Fellowship is to enable highly qualified candidates to enter, and contribute to the field of patient safety research. Patient safety research starts with the outcomes (iatrogenic injury) and seeks to determine the human and system factors involved, with a goal to minimize the probability of recurrence. Priority will be given to proposed projects that apply to a broad spectrum of problems and patients and that are clearly relevant to patient safety. The Commission is particularly interested in projects that will demonstrate improved methods of patient safety and will have a high likelihood of rapid implementation into health-care.

   Possible focuses of the Fellowship could be:

   • measurement and reporting issues
   • relationship between near misses and adverse events
   • factors affecting the uptake of measures to improve patient safety within institutions
   • the possible impact of a top-down policy shift on patient safety
   • causative factors
   • epidemiology of adverse events in specific health-care sectors.
   • consequences to patients
   • methods and new techniques for avoiding preventable injuries and increasing patient safety
   • developing and evaluating methods designed to alter behavior with respect to safety
   • developing and evaluating methods to alter the cultural barriers (e.g. legal, professional, and societal) to reporting and openly discussing adverse events
   • developing and evaluating methods for improving the coordination of care in teamwork in health-care delivery.

2. Eligibility

   Eligibility requirements are similar to those for AHFMR Full-Time fellowships, with the exception that there is no time limit with respect to when the candidate has received their degree.

3. Term of Award

   One year, maximum

4. Start Date

   The award may be implemented at any time within six months from the date of offer.

5. Location of Training

   The Fellowship is tenable at an Alberta institution. Consideration will be given to situations where some of the work supported under the Fellowship is to be conducted outside the province, but the relevance and relationship to developing strengths in patient safety research in Alberta must be clear.

6. Supervisor

   (see AHFMR Full-Time Fellowships)

7. Stipend and Allowances

   (see AHFMR Full-time Fellowships)

8. Applications

   Applications for the award are to be submitted on current AHFMR Fellowship application forms. Please indicate very clearly at the top of the first page that the application is being submitted for the HSUOC Fellowship.

   Please note that this is a pilot project, and that further awards may not be made. Hence there may not be an opportunity for unsuccessful applicants to apply again for this Fellowship. However, if eligible, they may apply for AHFMR Full-Time Fellowships.

   Deadlines: Applications must be received at AHFMR no later than March 31, 2004

9. Renewal of Awards

   This award is for one year, and is not renewable. However, if eligible, the candidate may apply for further support through an AHFMR Full-Time Fellowship.

   All other terms and conditions that apply to AHFMR Full-Time Fellowships will apply to this award.