Health Quality Fund
The Health Quality Fund (HQF) supports Department of Medicine teams to lead purposeful, high-impact quality improvement. Through seed funding, we enable physician-led, interdisciplinary projects that enhance patient care, strengthen provider experience, and improve how our health system performs.
Over 12–18 months, teams turn ideas into action—generating early results that can grow, scale, and shape care across programs and sites.
2026 Health Quality Fund Recipients
In its inaugural year, the Health Quality Fund (HQF) received an enthusiastic response from across the Department of Medicine, with 24 submissions: 10 quality improvement (QI) and 14 pre-QI projects.
We are pleased to support six successful teams whose projects demonstrate strong potential to improve care and drive meaningful impact.
Thank you to everyone who applied. Your ideas, energy, and commitment to quality improvement are helping to advance better care for patients and providers alike.
Pre-Quality Improvement
- Dr. Marlene Dytoc, clinical professor, Division of Dermatology
- Validation of the Mind-Skin Health Index: A Psychometric Study of Psychological Distress Screening in Dermatology Patients.
- Dr. Pishoy Gouda, assistant professor, Division of Cardiology
- Exploring Gaps in Care and the Burden of Familial Hypercholesterolemia in Alberta.
- Dr. Neesh Pannu, professor, Division of Nephrology
- Outpatient management of patients discharged from hospital with AKI requiring dialysis: A pre-quality improvement care gap assessment.
Each of the applicants received $10,000.
Quality Improvement
- Dr. Frank Hoentjen, professor, Division of Gastroenterology
- Optimizing AI-Assisted Colonoscopy in IBD Surveillance: A Quality Improvement Initiative.
- Amount: $30,000
- Dr. Hernando Leon, associate clinical professor, Division of General Internal Medicine
- Oral Care Protocol-BRUSH.
- Amount: $30,000
- Dr. Carlos Moctezuma-Velazquez, assistant professor, Division of Gastroenterology
- Implementation of a Nurse-Led Frailty and Performance Status Assessment in an Outpatient Liver Clinic: a Quality Improvement Initiative.
- Amount: $10,000
Inquiries
The 2026 competition closed on February 8. Watch for updates near the end of year for information on the 2027 competition.
Information on applying for HQF
Contact Us
DoM Health Quality Committee
Pamela Mathura, QI and Implementation Scientist
Email: mathura@ualberta.ca