Projects and Publications

Current Research Projects

  • Decision-Making Capacity Assessment (DMCA) Education

    Funder: Northern Alberta Academic Family Medicine Fund

    Project Leads: Lesley Charles, MBChB, CCFP(COE) − Project Lead; Jasneet Parmar, MBBS; Suzette Brémault-Phillips, PhD; Ashley Pike, PhD; Tara Kilkenny, MSc; Melissa Johnson, MSc; Bonnie Dobbs, PhD; Peter Tian, MD, MPH

    Award: $5,000
    Dates: September, 2018 - August, 2019

    Background

    With an increasing elderly population, the number of persons with dementia is expected to increase. Consequently, the number of persons needing decision-making capacity assessments (DMCA) will increase. Many health care professionals do not feel ready to provide DMCA. Since 2006 we have been training allied HCPs and since 2013, we have been training physicians on DMCA. Allied HCPs are offered a 4-hour workshop. Physicians are offered a 3-hour workshop or 2-day training accredited by both the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. We have accumulated significant data from pre-questionnaires, post questionnaires on core concepts of capacity and evaluations.

    Objectives:

    1. Quantitatively analyze the pre-questionnaires, and post-questionnaires for allied HCPs (n=822, physicians 3-hour workshop (n=137 ) and physicians 2-day workshop (n=80)
    2. Qualitatively analyze the evaluations for physicians

    Methodology:

    1. Review the current literature on DMCA education
    2. Quantitatively and qualitatively analyze the pre/post questionnaire and evaluations.

Previously Funded Research Projects

  • Assessment of Decision-Making Capacity in Adults with Diseases and Disabilities: Is the Decision-Making Capacity Assessment Model Appropriate for Alberta?
    Funder: Alberta Health Services
    Award: $25,000
    Dates: February - March 2012
    Project Leads: Suzette, Jasneet

    Report:

    Brémault-Phillips, S., Parmar, J. et. al (July, 2012). Assessment of Decision-Making Capacity in Adults with Diseases and Disabilities: Is the Decision-Making Capacity Assessment Model Appropriate for Alberta? A Project Funded by Alberta Health Services, February - March, 2012; see http://hdl.handle.net/10402/era.38855
  • Creation of a Customized Tool to Facilitate Confidence and Ease in Decision-Making Capacity Assessments among Family Physicians: A Pilot Study
    Funder: Northern Alberta Academic Family Medicine Fund Committee
    Award: $4,917
    Project dates: August 1, 2014 - January 31, 2017
    Background
    Since 2006, we have been conducting workshops on decision-making capacity assessments (DMCA) to healthcare providers in Alberta. We hoped to make DMCA more accessible to families, precluding the need for time-consuming referrals. However, the number of family physicians who attended the workshops have been low. This is ironic since family physicians, having developed long-standing physician-patient relationships, would be most informed in making these assessments. A reason for this could be a lack of confidence among family physicians to do DMCA and the relatively infrequent DMCAs in family practice. Our innovative idea is to make DMCA simple, systematic, and equipped with memory aids.
    Objectives
    We will customize the DMCA tool to the needs of family physicians with the aim of increasing family physicians' confidence and willingness to perform DMCA in their practice. It is anticipated that the tool for family physicians could be spread nationwide and be adapted across specialties.
    Methodology
    1. Conduct a needs assessment through a focus group among family physicians
    2. Perform a literature review on DMCA practice among physicians
    3. Customize the DMCA tool based on the needs assessment and literature review
    4. Present the above to Alberta College of Family Physicians (ACFP), Alberta Medical Association (AMA), and College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) to facilitate a provincial-wide feedback on the DMCA tool.
  • Decision Making Capacity Assessment (DMCA) Model: Development and Evaluation of a DMCA Model Implementation and Sustainability Framework
    Funder: Covenant Health, Network of Excellence in Seniors' Health and Wellness (NESHW)
    Award: $200,000
    Dates: January 1, 2015 - March 31, 2018
    Objective:
    Given the provincial endorsement of the DMCA Model, a Framework is now needed to support sites and organizations within and outside of Alberta to adopt, implement, sustain, and spread the Model.
    This project aims to:
    1. Develop a DMCA Model Implementation and Sustainability Framework based on the experience of those who have both implemented and made efforts to sustain it.
    2. Evaluate the impact of the Frameworks both at sites that have not as yet adopted the model, and those that are making efforts to sustain it.
    Methodology:
    This project will utilize a mixed qualitative/quantitative approach in 3 phases:
    1. Framework Definition and Design (1-4 months)
    2. Intervention (5-7 months)
    3. Evaluation and Knowledge Translation (8-12 months)

Publications and Presentations