SHRF Solutions: Virtual Care
Empowering Healthcare through Technology
Why Virtual Care Matters
Virtual Care has become an essential aspect of healthcare in Saskatchewan, especially during the pandemic. This initiative, launched by SHRF in July 2020, aims to address the unique health challenges faced by our community by leveraging technology to provide innovative care solutions.
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Thanks to the many researchers focusing on virtual healthcare, Saskatchewan stands out with remarkable strength in this area, offering opportunities to transform healthcare.
Investments in Virtual Care Research
Over the past four years, SHRF and our partners have invested $2,657,582 through the Solutions program to fund 29 projects that advance virtual care.
It all started with the first Solutions competition in 2020-21, with Virtual Care as the focus. The initial competition supported 14 grants with an initial investment of $1,062,368.
While virtual care was offered explicitly as a focus area again only in 2022-23, many projects funded through our other focus areas and partnerships are also advancing virtual care solutions within their research. Over the past three years, we have invested an additional $1,595,214 in 15 projects addressing virtual care.
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Project Themes
SHRF has 29 projects aligned with the Virtual Care focus. However, many of SHRF's other focus areas, such as Child & Youth Health, overlap with Virtual Care. Check out our current focus areas in our Solutions Program here.
23 of the 29 grants included team members with lived experience.
Involvement of people with lived experience
Healthcare Providers
Over 40 healthcare providers were on the project teams.
Types of virtual care solutions
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16 of the projects look at virtual delivery of specialized healthcare
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12 of the projects looked at home-based resources/solutions
Your Feedback and Suggestions
The grant progress reports have provided the following feedback from recipients about the Solutions program.
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Next Steps
Through our Solutions Program, SHRF is committed to supporting practical solutions to Saskatchewan's health challenges and to moving these solutions towards real-world applications.
What is ahead on your path in taking your virtual care research to the next step in becoming a practical solution?
Stay Connected
Stay tuned for future opportunities and join our mailing list. In the meantime, explore funding opportunities in the Connections Program.
Align Grant
1 year, $10k to enable a diverse and connected research community in Saskatchewan that is well-positioned to receive peer-reviewed funding and conduct impactful research aligned with Saskatchewan stakeholder needs.
Mobilize Grant
1 year, $10k to fund knowledge mobilization activities in relevant and practical settings and mediums, with the aim of improving the applicability and impact of health research in Saskatchewan.
Explore the Solutions Virtual Care Recipients
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Funded in 2020-21
Innovation Grant: Exploring the use of virtual care in Saskatchewan in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease and gastroenterologist care providers
Led by: Noelle Rohatinsky, Juan-Nicolás Peña-Sánchez
Supported by: Multidisciplinary IBD Clinic and gastroenterologists in Saskatoon and Regina, people with lived experience, SHA LiveWell Chronic Disease Management, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada
Quick Links:
https://research-groupstest.usask.ca/ibdresearchcollaborative/
https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/Research/Participate-in-Research
Impact Grant: Saskatchewan Virtual Follow-up Clinic of Patients Discharged Home from ICU (Vi-DISH)
Led by: Eric Sy, Stephen Lee, Vincent Lau, Jonathan Mailman
Supported by: People with lived experience, clinicians in Critical Care, SHA Critical Care, Respiratory and Organ Donation, SHA Provincial Program Tertiary Care, SHA Stewardship and Clinical Appropriateness, hospital ICU managers
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Quick Links:
https://medicine.usask.ca/profiles/department-of-medicine/regina/general-internal-medicine/sy_e.php
https://medicine.usask.ca/profiles/department-of-medicine/regina/infectious-diseases/lee_s.php
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08850666221090459?icid=int.sj-abstract.similar-articles.5
Impact Grant: Help for People Who Have Been Hurt by Healthcare: An Online Resource
Led by: Bridget Klest, Jennifer Gordon
Supported by: People with lived experience
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Quick Links:
https://www.uregina.ca/arts/psychology/faculty-staff/y-adjuncts/klest-bridget.html
Innovation Grant: Budget Cuts, the Northern-Rural-Urban Divide, and the Pandemic Response: Exploring Speech-Language Pathologists’ and Audiologists’ Perceptions and Experiences of in Person and Telepractice Therapeutic Health and Education Services in Saskatchewan
Led by: Laureen McIntyre
Supported by: Hear2Understand Audiology Services, practicing speech-language pathologist
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Quick Links:
Innovation Grant: Assessing the mental health support needs for Indigenous adolescents residing in northern Saskatchewan: A community-based participatory action study exploring the potential of virtual reality technology
Led by: Lindsey Boechler, Terry Peckham, Mya Ruelling
Supported by: Administrators in Northern Lights School Division, people with lived experience, Luxisonic Technologies
Quick Links:
https://saskpolytech.ca/about/school-of-nursing/faculty-and-staff/Lindsey-Boechler.aspx
https://saskpolytech.ca/about/applied-research-and-innovation/dice/
https://globalnews.ca/news/9643155/sask-polytech-virtual-reality-project-for-mental-health/
https://saskpolytech.ca/news/posts/2023/youth-wellness-summit-brings-together-indigenous-youth.aspx
Impact Grant: Enhancing Access to Team Based Musculoskeletal Care to Indigenous Communities using Virtual Technology
Led by: Stacey Lovo, Brenna Bath, Jaris Swidrovich, Scotty Butcher
Supported by: Northern Medical Services, people with lived experience, SHA Regional Physical Therapist, SHA Provincial Programs, CBI Health, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Health Services, Waterhen Lake First Nation, SK-NEIHR
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Quick Links:
https://cchsa-ccssma.usask.ca/mhac/index.php
Innovation Grant: Connect-ICU: Using technology to facilitate communication and build relationships between patients, their loved ones, and the healthcare team in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Led by: Sabira Valiani, Jennifer O’Brien, Salima Suleman
Supported by: People with lived experience, clinicians in Critical Care, hospital ICU managers, SHA Quality, Safety and Information, SHA Provincial Program Tertiary Care
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Quick Links:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12630-023-02456-9
Impact Grant: CO-Away: A Virtual Care Platform for Indigenous Health Decision-Making and Data Sovereignty
Led by: Tarun Katapally, Kelly Skinner, Ken Coates
Supported by: Northern Village of Ile a la Crosse, Citizen Scientist Advisory Council, SCPOR, Lung Sask
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Quick Links:
https://www.depthlab.org/co-away
Innovation Grant: Can A Multidisciplinary Preoperative Assessment Be Completed From Home? Virtually There
Led by: Jonathon Gamble, Peter Hedlin, Jennifer O’Brien
Supported by: People with lived experience, clinicians in Anesthesiology and General Internal Medicine, SHA Quality, Safety and Information
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Quick Links: https://medicine.usask.ca/profiles/anesthesiology/jon-gamble.php
https://medicine.usask.ca/residents/reach/clinical/robin-manaloor.php
https://www.shrf.ca/post/2023-24-solutions-funding-announcement (or link to new Impact Grant within the list?)
Innovation Grant: Empowering patients, families and health systems with new tools for accessing home care services: A technology-enabled home care ordering solution (CareOnDemand)
Led by: Ramona Kyabaggu, Tim Maciag, Cheryl Camillo
Supported by: Eden Care Communities Management
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Quick Links:
https://www.schoolofpublicpolicy.sk.ca/about/faculty/ramona-kyabaggu.php#top
Innovation Grant: Handgrip Exercise to Improve Blood Vessel Function in Congenital Heart Disease
Led by: Corey Tomczak, Dylan Olver
Supported by: Clinicians in Pediatric Cardiology, Mending Little Hearts Fund of Saskatchewan, people with lived experience
Quick Links:
https://kinesiology.usask.ca/people/corey-tomczak.php
https://wcvm.usask.ca/departments/biomedical/biomedical-people/dylan-olver.php
Innovation Grant: Culturally Safe Caregiver Support Groups for Caregivers of Indigenous Peoples Living with Dementia
Led by: Megan O’Connell, Gail Boehme
Supported by: All Nations Healing Hospital, people with lived experience, Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan
Quick Links:
https://artsandscience.usask.ca/profile/MOConnell#top
https://www.shrf.ca/post/caregiving-for-family-members-with-dementia
Innovation Grant: Health Information and Service Access for Caregivers of Persons with Dementia
Led by: Gary Groot, Cari McIlduff
Supported by: Star Blanket Cree Nation
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Quick Links:
https://medicine.usask.ca/profiles/che/cari-mcilduff.php
Innovation Grant: Using Virtual Reality to Address Persistent Chronic Kidney Care Challenges in Saskatchewan
Led by: Donald Leidl, Tracie Risling
Supported by: Hemodialysis units, Luxisonic Technologies
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Quick Links:
Funded in 2021-22
Innovation Grant: CHOICE+: A virtual program to improve the dining environment and mealtime experience in Long-Term Care
Led by: Allison Cammer, Heather Keller
Supported by: SHA Continuing Care, people with lived experience, Luther Care Communities, Sherbrooke Long Term Care, Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan
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Quick Links:
https://pharmacy-nutrition.usask.ca/profiles/allison-cammer.php
Impact Grant: Enhancing Impact of Internet-delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Alcohol Misuse: A Patient-Oriented Research Approach
Led by: Heather Hadjistavropoulos
Supported by: People with lived experience, SHA Mental Health and Addictions, Ministry of Health Mental Health and Addictions, SCPOR
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Quick Links:
https://www.onlinetherapyuser.ca/acc/
https://www.shrf.ca/post/supporting-solutions-to-saskatchewan-s-growing-addictions-problem
https://ascpjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13722-024-00456-8
Impact Grant: Delivery of Virtual Care in Saskatchewan: A Strategic Framework and Roadmap For Implementation
Led by: Ivar Mendez, Stacey Lovo, Vern Behl, Caroline Tait, Paul Babyn
Supported by: SHA Quality, Safety and Information, practicing family physicians, Northern Medical Services, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, Ministry of Health Strategy and Innovation, SK-NEIHR
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Quick Links:
https://medicine.usask.ca/profiles/surgery/neurosurgery/i.-mendez.php
Impact Grant: A virtual program to promote physical activity and health behaviours among women with obstructive sleep apnea
Led by: Joshua Lawson, Donna Goodridge
Supported by: Lung Sask, people with lived experience, clinicians in Respirology and Sleep Medicine, Live Well Exercise Clinic Regina, Parkland CPAP Services
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Quick Links:
https://medicine.usask.ca/profiles/department-of-medicine/saskatoon/ccrah/lawson.j.php
https://www.lungsask.ca/research/research-we-support/drs-josh-lawson-and-donna-goodridge
Funded in 2022-23
Innovation Grant: Community-Directed Virtual Care Strategies for the Management of Neuropathic Pain in Remote Indigenous Communities
Led by: Stacey Lovo, Gary Linassi
Supported by: Elder Margaret Larocque, Metis Knowledge Keeper TJ Roy, Northern Medical Services, people with lived experience, SK-NEIHR, CBI Health Group, Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority, Metis Nation of Saskatchewan, SHA Continuing Care, SaskPain, U of S Virtual Care & Robotics Program
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Quick Links:
https://rehabscience.usask.ca/people/faculty-profiles/stacey-lovo1.php
https://www.shrf.ca/post/revolutionizing-neuropathic-pain-assessment-indigenous-healthcare
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/22423982.2023.2300858
Innovation Grant: Testing a new way to use Virtual (video based) Care for patients needing consultation for developmental and mental health concerns to decrease the wait for services and brings the specialist to the patient’s community with the help of a Nurse Practitioner
Led by: Susan Petryk, Jill Bally
Supported by: Clinicians in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, SHA Child and Youth Services, parents of children referred to Child and Youth Services, Mental Health Research Canada
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Quick Links:
https://nursing.usask.ca/people/jill-bally.php
https://www.mhrc.ca/shrf-2022-23-grant-winners
https://www.saskhealthauthority.ca/news-events/news/helping-kids-get-mental-health-care-quicker
Impact Grant: Enhancing Access to Ultrasound Services Using a Telerobotic Ultrasonography System in Rural Southern Saskatchewan
Led by: Ivar Mendez, Stacey Lovo, Scott Adams, Rachel Johnson
Supported by: St. Joseph's Hospital, The Ultrasound Centre, people with lived experience, U of S Virtual Care & Robotics Program, SHA Primary Health Care, Larin Medical Professional Corporation, Cypress Health Region, SHA Provincial Programs
Quick Links:
https://medicine.usask.ca/profiles/surgery/neurosurgery/i.-mendez.php
https://research-groups.usask.ca/remote-presence/ultrasonography-program.php
Impact Grant: How well does virtual reality compare to the use of high fidelity manikins: Using virtual reality to examine a paramedic's ability to perform specific tasks and skills when seeking employment in rural and remote areas of Saskatchewan
Led by: Shauna Davies, Ramona Kyabaggu
Supported by: Practicing paramedics, Saskatchewan College of Paramedics, Luxisonic Technologies
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Quick Links:
https://www.uregina.ca/nursing/directory/faculty/shauna-davies.html
https://www.schoolofpublicpolicy.sk.ca/about/faculty/ramona-kyabaggu.php
https://collegeofparamedics.sk.ca/research/virtual-reality-project/
Impact Grant: Making Virtual Multidisciplinary Preoperative Assessment Possible for Everyone in Saskatchewan
Led by: Jonathon Gamble, Jennifer O’Brien
Supported by: People with lived experience, clinicians in Anesthesiology, Provincial Department of Anesthesiology, SHA Quality, Safety and Information, SHA Pre and Postoperative Services
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Quick Links:
https://medicine.usask.ca/profiles/anesthesiology/jon-gamble.php
https://www.scpor.ca/ara-members/2021/1/22/jennifer-obrien
https://medicine.usask.ca/department/clinical/anesthesiology.php
Innovation Grant: Supporting Caregivers of Children with Cystic Fibrosis: The Development of an Online Mental Health and Wellness Prevention Program for Caregivers
Led by: Kristi Wright
Supported by: People with lived experience, Saskatoon Adult Cystic Fibrosis Clinic
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Quick Links:
https://www.uregina.ca/arts/psychology/faculty-staff/faculty/wright-kristi.html
Funded in 2023-24
Impact Grant: Facilitating self-management throughout the lung and kidney transplant journey with HELP (the Health Education and Learning Platform)
Led by: Holly Mansell
Supported by: Saskatchewan Transplant Program, people with lived experience, Lung Sask, Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program
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Quick Links:
https://pharmacy-nutrition.usask.ca/profiles/holly-mansell.php
https://www.lungsask.ca/research/research-we-support/dr-holly-mansell-and-dr-nathaniel-osgood
Innovation Grant: Development of a reliable screening tool for using virtual reality content in recreation therapy in long-term care
Led by: Rebecca Genoe, Susan Tupper
Supported by: Practicing Recreation Therapists, SHA Strategy & Innovation, SHA Professional Practice for Recreation Therapy
Quick Links:
https://www.uregina.ca/kinesiology-health-studies/directory/faculty/rebeccagenoe.html
https://www.saskpain.ca/2020/06/16/pain-dementia-virtual-reality-research-study/
Impact Grant: Development of a culturally-rooted pediatric virtual care program to facilitate care closer to home
Led by: Ivar Mendez, Stacey Lovo, Scott Adams
Supported by: Northern Medical Services, Whitecap Dakota Nation
Quick Links:
Innovation Grant: The Mindful Lung Study: Helping lung cancer survivors through mindfulness techniques
Led by: Mohamad Baydoun, Shadi Beshai
Supported by: Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Tisdale Hospital, Lung Sask
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Quick Links:
https://www.uregina.ca/nursing/directory/faculty/mohamad-baydoun.html
Innovation Grant: Supporting the 'Forgotten Ones': Development and evaluation of an internet-delivered resource program for siblings of youth with congenital heart disease
Led by: Kristi Wright
Supported by: Clinicians in Pediatric Cardiology, Mending Little Hearts Fund of Saskatchewan, parent of children with congenital heart disease
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Quick Links:
https://www.uregina.ca/arts/psychology/faculty-staff/faculty/wright-kristi.html