In September 2008, the MSFHR Board of Directors approved a recommendation from the HSPRSN Steering Council to focus remaining HSPRSN funds (about $4.5 million) on health human resources research in three priority areas:

• ways to better employ existing providers
• new models of staffing
• new models of practice.

Read about the extensive consultation leading up to this recommendation:
HSPRSN Program Evolution

In 2009, HSPRSN collaborated with two groups of BC health researchers to produce two separate reports: 

• a literature review and synthesis to gain further insight into what knowledge and research capacity currently exists in relation to three health human resource priority sub-themes Health Human Resource Scoping Literature Review and Synthesis (PDF)
• a scoping exercise on health human resources productivity
  Health Human Resources Productivity (PDF)

Both reviews found that, while many innovative approaches to health human resources deployment take place in the health system, very few are documented or evaluated. This is a particular issue with respect to the impact of the innovations on health outcomes. Based on the review, the HSPRSN Steering Council approved the development of two new programs:

Documentation of HHR Innovations

This program provided funding to document key innovations in health human resources deployment that have taken place in the BC health system over the last five years. The HSPRSN Steering Council identified six innovations. Vicky Farrally (Praxis Management) was contracted to research and draft the reports, which were delivered to the program working group in December 2010. The working group is reviewing all six reports and is developing a dissemination strategy to ensure they reach appropriate audiences.

Health Human Resources Research Program – Innovations for Evaluation

This program provides project funding of $75,000 per year for a maximum of three years to evaluate HHR-related innovations that are pending, in early stages of implementation or are being expanded from one British Columbia (BC) health authority to other BC health authorities. The innovations must focus on one of the following four areas:

1. The shift of acute care from the hospital to community settings.
2. Interdisciplinary teams and inter-professional collaboration, including Integrated Health Networks.
3. Use of lean methodologies.
4. Applied health-related technology/telehealth.

In December 2010 an external review panel recommended funding for five projects, which commenced in March, 2011.

• Evaluation of Collaborative Practice Project
  Dr. Rena van der Wal, Vancouver Coastal Health

• Evaluation of Care Delivery Model Redesign (CDMR)
  Stephanie Joyce, Fraser Health

• Evaluation of the Enhanced Seniors Team (EST) Initiative
  Diane Foster, Vancouver Island Health

• Evaluation of the Residential Program Care Delivery Model (CDM)
  Dr. Karen Kobayashi, Fraser Health

• Evaluation of the Integration of Nurse Practitioners (NP) into the BC Healthcare System
  Dr. Esther Sangster-Gormley, Ministry of Health

 

Last updated March 15, 2011