Grant: Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant: PHSI

Research in complex systems science has recently shown remarkable promise within health care. For example, data from clinical trials conducted by researchers from The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) have shown that bedside continuous monitoring of respiratory rate variability may provide early prediction of extubation failures in mechanically ventilated ICU patients. Despite such remarkable insights, implementation of therapeutic interventions at the bedside derived from complex systems science remains wanting. In the Variability Round Table Discussion, decision makers in healthcare and basic science researchers from field of complex systems science will be invited to present research and discuss bedside application of variability methodology, knowledge translation and form research partnerships in view that this may lead to improvements within the current system of care given to critically ill patients in Canada. This meeting is a unique initiative in field of complex systems science in terms of its topic for discussion and objectives. The clinical objectives for this meeting are the following; 1) evaluate evidence-based results from research in multi-organ analysis 2) discuss methods to implement variability analysis within the current system of care 3) identify potential benefits from future changes in processes of care and 4) produce new collaborations between researchers, decision makers, and organizations in private sector. The academic objectives for this meeting include the following; 1) develop a plan for knowledge translation through publications 2) create a team of researchers and clinicians interested to apply for PHSI funding and 3) identify challenges in health care policies relating to electronic recording and sharing variability data. In light of accomplishing these objectives, the Variability Round Table Discussion hopes to change the current paradigm of bedside monitoring by building a network of support through partnerships in research.