Grant: Embedded Clinician Researcher Salary Award - Central Canada

Colon cancer is an important health problem but fortunately, there is high quality evidence to support screening as a way to prevent CRC and death from CRC. All Canadian provinces have organized colon cancer screening programs; Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) launched the ColonCancerCheck (CCC) program in 2007. Colon cancer screening is a multistep complex process with many moving parts which is characterized by many transitions in care across the health care system, including between and within the community and hospitals. I am a health services researcher with an expertise in screening for colorectal cancers. The primary focus of my work is on "care design": the design and implementation of efficient and effective colon cancer screening through formal program, with a focus on improving the quality of colonoscopy. I am currently the Lead Scientist in the CCC program at CCO. Over the period of this award, my overall goals are to conduct research that supports and drives the design of the CCC program, addresses identified priority policy initiatives for the program and improves the quality of colonoscopy in the province of Ontario. I propose 3 projects that will include 1) navigation of patients with abnormal colon cancer screening tests; 2) improving cancer screening among First Nations and Métis in Ontario and 3) endoscopist report cards to improve colonoscopy quality. My proposed research objectives are tightly aligned with CCO's priorities and strategic directions; thus, I am well positioned within CCO to produce transformative research that will improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of cancer screening in Ontario.