News
A groundbreaking study published in the New England Journal of Medicine could lead to a reduction in the amount of steroid medication patients need to take to manage their mild asthma. Lead investigator Dr. Mark FitzGerald, a researcher with Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI), examined whether patients with mild asthma could benefit from a combination medication versus twice-daily inhaled steroids or non-steroid reliever inhalers on an as-needed basis.
The legalization of recreational cannabis use in Canada, scheduled for October 17, 2018, is raising concerns about whether more people might start driving while high. It is illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Canada, but a recent study led by Dr. John Staples, a Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher who studies traffic safety, found the risk of a fatal traffic crash increased on the day of the annual cannabis celebration called ‘4/20’. Staples shares insights on common questions about cannabis-impaired driving.
Breathing is such an automatic process that it can be easily overlooked. Yet, for many asthma sufferers, that is not always the case. To help asthma patients manage their symptoms, health care providers often instruct them to use an Asthma Action Plan (AAP). AAPs have traditionally been paper-based, but a new study led by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researchers is testing the efficacy of an electronic AAP (eAAP) with text-based reminders.
Dr. Sanchez is currently an Associate Professor in Computer Science at the University of Warwick, UK. He has a background in computer science and engineering with applications to diverse areas, including medical image processing and simulation. He has developed algorithms to manage and analyze whole slide images (WSIs), currently used in digital pathology. His contributions have allowed pathologists to access these imaging data remotely more efficiently, as well as facilitated the development of computer-aided diagnosis techniques using machine learning.
A health services researcher and Professor at the School of Population and Public Health, the University of British Columbia focuses on access, processes and outcomes of care delivery.
Research interest: Hip Fractures
Health technology is a hot topic, particularly when it comes to patient engagement! The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) team at C2E2, is an independent academic group contracted by the BC Ministry of Health to produce Health Technology Assessments. The team will carefully look at the strengths and weaknesses of health care technologies and processes, old or new, and recommend whether they should be used across the province.
This summer’s heat waves had people scrambling for ways to stay cool. In the Lower Mainland pool hours were extended, cooling centres were set up to prevent heat-related illness and power usage hit an all-time high. Ongoing wildfires and poor air quality in the interior were another reminder that global warming’s effect on our health has never been more evident.
“If all hip fracture surgeries were within two days of admission, one in six deaths among delayed surgeries would have been avoided,” says Dr. Boris Sobolev, leading author of a study recently published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The study compared various timing standards for surgical treatment of older adults with hip fracture who otherwise are medically stable.
