Medical projects receive huge funding boost: Sudbury research centre announces $400,000 in grants.

• Author: McKinley, Karen
• Position: NEWS

In medicine, timing is critical to save both lives and money, no more so than with treating elderly patients.

Two ongoing projects being conducted in Sudbury focusing on this mantra are receiving grants just under $100,000 combined from the Northern Ontario Academic Medicine Association (NOAMA). They're part of a group of studies and projects being developed by the Health Sciences North Research Institute (HSNRI) receiving $400,000 in grants.

Both studies involve a strategy developed by Dr. Janet McElhaney to treat elderly patients using a system of timing in five key areas to improve their chances of a full recovery and maintaining their independence, as well as extending their life expectancy.

"I am very happy of course," said McElhaney. "This is the third and fourth grant focusing on this. The team had done a lot of hard work and the lead investigators were great at pushing it."

A news release from Health Sciences North stated the funding provided allows for collaboration between the institute and Health Sciences North (HSN) clinical staff. It is an opportunity to address health-care challenges for patients in Northern Ontario. HSNRI brings together researchers, clinicians and regional partners to address the health priorities of the North.

Both grants involve a strategy dubbed the 48/5, which McElhaney explained is a system of treating elderly patients in five key areas: delirium, drugs, mobility, nutrition and elimination, within 48 hours of admittance to hospital, whether it is for an emergency or major surgery, such as hip replacement. Medical teams look at those five key areas when determining how to treat an individual based on past medical history.

The strategy, she said, has been shown to improve patient outcomes and allow them to return to normal functioning levels, and thus, less likely to need assistance once they leave the hospital.

One, titled 48/5 Intervention Bilingual Whiteboard Animation Videos, will receive $48,520 and will focus on creating a short video to educate health-care providers and decision-makers on how to integrate the system into hospitals and care setting across Northern Ontario.

"It helps sell the 48/5 care plan. It's about being able to share information between professionals, from physicians, to physiotherapists to pharmacists," she said. "It's a way to show professionals why it's important to have this kind of system in place and how to implement it. Everyone on the team, as well as family members of...