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Thanks to a generous donation to the Bruyère Foundation, the Bruyère Research Institute (BRI) will host a new innovative big data research program that will capture the health service use of all Ontarians. This data is collected each time an Ontarian uses services paid for by the Ontario government, and is linked across a broad range of health sectors including physician care, hospitals, long-term care facilities, medications, and home care.
BRI investigators and trainees will utilize BRI data and data from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) to conduct research that describes, evaluates, and improves care for the aging. For example, we will describe and evaluate the quality of care delivered in both long-term care facilities and in home care. We will identify the impactful and potentially modifiable factors that increase the chance of desired outcomes such as reduced unnecessary emergency room visits for those in long-term care and improved matching of community supports to need for those receiving in home care.
This data set is world-leading in size and breadth for the health sector. This program will leverage and build on these data – with a lens on care for the aging –to train and enable established and upcoming researchers at BRI in the use of linked big data and to apply the lessons learned to improve the quality of care for elderly persons. The donation will build capacity in the use of big data at BRI, aligned with BRI’s Programs of Distinction (PODS), namely health system evaluation, best evidence, and geriatrics and rehabilitation, as well as with Bruyère’s clinical priorities.
Dr. Peter Tanuseputro, Dr. Doug Manuel, Vivian Welch (PhD) and Dr. Peter Walker will manage this unique data program commencing November 2016. New researchers and students training at BRI will benefit from the tools and methods generated from this research.
Big data have been used across the Province of Ontario to study and improve a myriad list of health issues – from heart disease, to mental health, to diabetes. This program of research is unique in that it will focus on care for the aging, with a specific emphasis on: long-term care; care for palliative and end-of-life populations; and care for the frail and those with multiple chronic disorders.
Program objectives: - Train the next generation of researchers to develop research programs using big data in health and health care;
- Build data infrastructure to heighten the research community’s ability to examine and solve issues with improving care for the aging
- Fuel synergies with existing research programs of distinction at BRI (Appendix 1)
- Disseminate results from research to directly inform health care providers, patients, and caregivers.
The Bruyère Research Institute provides solutions to improve the health and health care of aging and frail Canadians. Our research contributes to a better, more responsive health care system that delivers the best care to patients and families so they can recover better, return to work sooner and live more productive lives, and better quality lives.
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