The WCH Healthcare Breakthrough Challenge, in partnership with Women’s College Hospital Foundation, aims to fund innovative initiatives in clinical care, quality improvement and education that align with the organization’s strategic goals.
On November 6, three Women’s College Hospital (WCH) teams will compete, showcasing their unique ideas for the opportunity to secure funding of up to $100,000. Learn more about the three final projects below:
Just Inhale – Optimal Pain Management for Gynecological Procedures
Project Lead: Lauren Scott, NP
There is a longstanding history of the dismissal and minimization of pain in women. Despite the significant impact of pain on patient adherence to cervical cancer screening and contraceptive options like intrauterine devices (IUDs), effective pain management protocols are lacking.
This project aims to investigate innovative analgesic methods, including inhaled medications, to enhance pain management for these procedures. The project leaders will pilot this intervention with patients seeking additional analgesia for IUD insertions, evaluating both safety and efficacy, with the goal of influencing care practices beyond Women’s College Hospital.
The multidisciplinary team comprises an anesthesiologist, gynecologist, clinical scientist and primary care provider. ‘Just Inhale’ aligns with WCH’s strategic goal of leading a new era in sex and gender health by improving the pain experiences of women and gender-diverse individuals undergoing gynecologic procedures.
PROACT – A Proactive Survivorship Pathway Model to Empower Breast Cancer Survivors
Project Lead: Dr. David Lim
With the increasing number of breast cancer survivors, there is a pressing need for innovative models of survivorship care delivery.
Team PROACT seeks to develop an app that provides resources related to survivorship, facilitates peer support and enables the collection of clinical and psychosocial outcomes. The initiative aims to actively involve patients in their survivorship care experience.
This endeavour unites multiple specialties across the hospital, including the After Cancer Treatment Transition Clinic, the Virtual Care Research Laboratory, Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers, Family Practice, Gynecology, Cardio-Oncology, Surgery, Medicine (breast rehab), Nursing, Social Work, Peer Support and the Breast Cancer Research Unit. Together, they hope to implement a PROACTive breast cancer survivorship care pathway that educates, empowers and supports breast cancer survivors.
Menopause Care is Primary Care – An Educational Intervention to Enhance Knowledge Among Primary Care Practitioners
Project Leads: Dr. Iliana Lega, Dr. Sheila Wijayasinghe
Menopause is a universal experience for cisgender women and has important implications for their long-term health and quality of life. However, many women in Canada and around the world face inadequate support during this important transition, largely due to gaps in knowledge among primary care providers.
WCH’s Dr. Lega, clinician-scientist and medical lead of reproductive endocrinology, and Dr. Wijayasinghe, family doctor and medical director of primary care outreach, aim to address this knowledge gap through their project, ‘Menopause Care is Primary Care.’ They hope to equip primary care clinicians with the educational materials and resources they need to confidently guide patients through menopause. Given the long wait times for specialty care in endocrinology or gynecology, providing primary care providers with the knowledge to discuss and treat menopausal symptoms will significantly improve access to timely treatment.
Thank you to all those who entered the Breakthrough Challenge and good luck to those pitching on November 6th!