Southern DHB Winners of Health Delivery Research Grants

Media Release

Tuesday 22 December 2015

Southern DHB Winners of Health Delivery Research Grants

Two proposals to improve clinical services in the Southern DHB area have been awarded funding provisions in excess of $100,000 through the inaugural Health Research South 2015 Grant for Health Service Delivery Research.

Both projects have the potential to improve both the experience and outcomes for patients and save the Southern DHB the considerable costs involved when patients need to be readmitted. They will also be supported by research teams to test the scientific robustness of the proposed interventions.

One of the projects involves enhancing identification and management of patients at increased risk of medication related problems after they are discharged. The other project involves funding for a pilot to improve care coordination for patients with colorectal cancer.

Southern DHB Pharmacy Manager Craig MacKenzie and his team have been awarded $45,373 for one year, with access to similar funds into a second year, depending on progress. They will introduce an electronic prioritisation tool to automatically identify inpatients at high risk of medication problems.

“We know that medication management in the transition back to primary care is problematic and medications play a significant part in readmissions.”

By identifying those high risk patients they can be provided with additional clinical pharmacy services at the time of discharge to facilitate transition of care into the community. The Health Research South grant and the partnership with the University of Otago’s Dunedin School of Medicine will give them the opportunity to test this intervention in a properly designed randomised controlled trial, to see if it works.

“Adding academic rigour to what we are doing and having the expertise to make sure it is done properly means we can create a much more robust study and it is also nice to be able to do something exciting and new.”

Meanwhile, Oncologist Dr Chris Jackson has been awarded a $16,500 grant to cover nursing costs of a feasibility study to improving management of colorectal cancer (CRC).

“Studies show that individuals with co-existing health conditions (comorbidity) and older patients are less likely to receive chemotherapy. Furthermore their complex health needs often leads to fragmented care.

“Research also shows patients who undergo Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment have better uptake and fewer side effects from chemotherapy. We will trial a screening tool, which combined with comprehensive medical assessment, is aimed at improving care coordination, treatment uptake and reducing cancer treatment toxicity.”

Dr Jackson says his team is delighted with the grant because CRC is a growing problem and their trial is a way of facing it head-on in the real world.

Health Research South is the joint research relationship of the Southern DHB and the Dunedin School of Medicine. Recently it sought, for the first time, applications from Southern DHB staff for funds to research health service delivery improvements and there were a significant number of very high calibre applications.

Ends.

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