Societal change
O'Brien Institute for Public Health stories of impact
Learning from Covid-19 to prepare for the future
Parallel to helping find a path out of the current COVID-19 crisis, O’Brien Institute researchers are examining the handling of the pandemic from all angles, to provide expert analysis and recommendations for future public health crises.
“We will learn from the past to secure a better future,” says Institute Scientific Director Tom Stelfox, MD.
O’Brien teams are evaluating how COVID-19 preparedness and response policies have been implemented in Alberta hospitals. The researchers studied the conversion of a surgical unit at Foothills Medical Centre to delivering COVID-19 care, uncovering valuable lessons for other hospital teams making that switch. Institute researchers brought tabletop simulations to doctors’ offices, allowing primary care teams to walk through COVID-19 care scenarios alongside top experts and sparking co-designed improvements to current and future health emergency processes.
A collaboration with City of Calgary staff will help to understand when, where, and why people wear masks. And as part of a World Health Organization (WHO) multi-site study, O’Brien researchers are uncovering evidence to inform future policies and protocols to protect healthcare workers during infectious disease outbreaks.
Further health emergency preparedness research will involve health equity, digital health technologies, mental health and addictions and aging.
Helping the health care system work smarter
Currently more than $0.50 of every tax dollar is directed toward health care. Canadians are aging and more than 60 per cent of us have a chronic disease needing care. We know that in its present state, our health care system is not sustainable.
With the support of philanthropists David and Gail O’Brien, the Institute’s interdisciplinary team of researchers is making major strides to inform transformational change in our health care system. Key research projects include improving medical care in the home, improving the design of medical devices, medical environments systems and procedures, using eHealth tools for better care and enhancing the patient and family care experience.