The Bruyère Research Institute partners with Bruyère, the University of Ottawa and other stakeholders to conduct relevant and practical health sciences research related to medical education and improving the quality of life for the aging population and people requiring continuing care.
Function Summary
We are currently seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on the urgent need to improve access to care for Canadians living with dementia. Our research team has been working on improving access to specialist advice over the last decade through the development and evaluation of a digital health innovation: electronic consultation (eConsult). It enables asynchronous communication between the primary care and specialists and has demonstrated improved access to specialist advice in several patient populations (e.g. HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, rural and remote).
We are now expanding this research program, to evaluate the impact of eConsult on persons with dementia, who often have complex health and social needs, and who experience health inequities due to stigma and barriers to health care. We have a specific focus on those from equity seeking groups (e.g. women, racialized, socioeconomically disadvantaged, Long-term care residents versus community-dwelling, physically and cognitively disabled, and linguistic minorities).
This role is for a one-year Post-Doctoral Fellowship (with a possibility for extension) with the “AHEAD with eConsult: Advancing Health Equity and Access to specialist care for persons with lived and living experience of Dementia” project, under the leadership of Drs. Clare Liddy and Dr. Sathya Karunananthan. The project is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
In this role, you will have the opportunity to gain leadership experience, work with Ontario health administrative databases at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), collaborate with other researchers across Canada, write grant applications, and present study findings at conferences.
Main duties and responsibilities
- Linking eConsult data to provincial health administrative data to evaluate eConsult’s impacts on population-level outcomes related to polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medication (PIP), and end-of-life care in persons with dementia
- Examining patient and caregiver perspectives on the acceptability of eConsult as a method of accessing specialty advice for people living with dementia
- Examining provider perspectives and attitudes towards eConsult as a method of providing specialist advice for people living with dementia
- Assessing differences in access and uptake of eConsult using a Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis Plus (SGBA Plus) analytical approach, including differences associated with social determinants of health, such as place of residence (long-term care vs community), language, gender, racialization and socio-economic position
- Overseeing the execution of the objectives of the grant, as listed above
- Participating in relevant team meetings and discussions
- Assisting with the supervision of research staff and students
- Supporting research grant development and submission related to this program of research
- Additional duties may be added as projects progress
Required Qualifications and Competencies
- PhD in a related field (e.g., epidemiology, population or public health, health services research)
- Knowledge and experience in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methodologies
- A strong interest and background in health services research
- Proven success as a communicator, collaborator, and project manager
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to create professional research publications
- Highly motivated, detail-oriented, analytical, and organized, with the ability to multitask, prioritize, and meet tight deadlines in a dynamic project environment
- Self-directed and capable of working both independently and as part of a team
- Ability to conduct literature database searches
- Experience using quantitative and qualitative research software (e.g., MAXQDA, Stata, SAS, R)
- Skilled in critical thinking to develop, evaluate, and implement solutions
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Training in health economics and/or economics, an asset
- Research experience with older adults, persons with dementia, and/or individuals receiving palliative or end-of-life care, an asset
- Strong understanding of healthcare delivery, particularly in primary care or home care settings in Canada, with a preference for experience in Ontario, an asset
- Experience working with health administrative data, an asset
- Fluent in French and English, an asset
If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your cover letter and resume to
skarunan@uottawa.ca
Attention Human Resources with subject line “Post-Doctoral Fellowship”,
no later than August 14, 2024.
Please note that incomplete applications may not be reviewed.
Bruyère Research Institute is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in its workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on skills and experience as outlined in your CV and cover letter.
Bruyère Research Institute is committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If contacted regarding this competition, please advise of the accommodation measures which may be required to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner.
All researchers, employees and students of the Bruyère Research Institute who will work with long-term care homes, colleges, universities and other partners are required to comply with the vaccination policies of those external organizations to complete their work. Of note, vaccination policies are subject to change. The requirement to comply with those evolving policies does not change.
We thank you for your interest in this position, however; only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.
All Bruyère employees are required to provide proof of full vaccination as per our Enhanced COVID-19 Immunization policy.