On Thursday, February 13, 2020, Trinity Western University celebrated the renewal of Richard Sawatzky, PhD’s Canada Research Chair in Person-Centred Outcomes, Sawatzky’s promotion to Full Professor, and the launch of the Person-Centred eHealth Information System, a unique digital health assessment tool that addresses the quality of life concerns of older adults and their family caregivers.
TWU’s University Siya:m, Patricia Victor, MA, greeted guests in the traditional language of the Sto:lo people. Before sharing a prayer-song, Victor commended Sawatzky for his work. “In our culture it’s important for us to honour our elders and to honour those who use their God-given creativity and innovation to provide good care for our elders,” she said.
In his remarks, TWU President Mark Husbands, PhD, noted Sawatzky’s profound contributions to the University, the lives of patients, and the field of health care. “The delivery of health care is a social good, with direct and life-changing value for patients and their families,” Husbands said. “Using his intellectual gifts, compassion, and imagination, Dr. Sawatzky has created conceptual and practical ways to improve quality of life and the practice of medicine.”
Since joining TWU’s School of Nursing faculty in 2002, Sawatzky has led significant, meaningful, and collaborative research that has given voice to people facing chronic, life-limiting illness.
“Our program of research focuses on developing and approaching the Person-Centred eHealth Information System from a patient-oriented research point of view,” Sawatzky said in his Full Professor inaugural lecture. “It’s driven by patients, designed by patients, and informed by patients—and it puts patients in the driver’s seat.”
According to Statistics Canada, for the first time in history, the number of adults over the age of 65 in Canada exceeds the number of children. Most older adults have one or more chronic conditions that are typically progressive and life-limiting. They often have complex, multi-faceted healthcare needs that affect their quality of life. To live as fully and comfortably as possible, they often choose to be cared for at home. As such, they require healthcare that supports their quality of life through early identification, assessment, and treatment of their multiple complex symptoms and concerns in their physical, as well as their psycho-social and spiritual wellbeing.
In addition, the quality of life and healthcare needs of family caregivers—many of whom are also seniors with their own health concerns—must be addressed to prevent their own health from worsening and enable them to provide care, both at home and for a longer duration.
Thanks to a grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, matching funding from technology partner Cambian and the Arthur Child Foundation, and a generous donation from Ann Blaauw, the Person-Centred eHealth Information System is being realized. The System specifically supports efficient, comprehensive, and ongoing reporting of information about quality of life concerns and healthcare needs.
In addition, the technology will support healthcare providers inform person-centred approaches to improve quality of care. The System incorporates computerized adaptive testing (CAT) technology to quickly assess an individual's health status and improve healthcare planning and decision-making.
Sawatzky, in collaboration with Cambian, will utilize the e-Health Information System in his research, as well as provide an instructive feedback loop to further refine the technology. This will catalyze important advancements in his Canada Research Chair research, positioning Canada as an international leader in person-centred outcomes measurement systems.
“In measuring health outcomes from the patient’s point of view, the conventional approach has been one-size-fits-all, involving the use of standardized questionnaires,” Sawatzky said. “But the Person-Centred measurement model is a one-size-does-not-fit-all approach. People are different in how they interpret and respond to questions and we need to develop new methods to address measuring in diverse populations. We want to empower people to have a more active role in their own health.”
In his closing remarks, Sawatzky thanked his many research partners, including: Cambian; Intogrey Research & Development; Canadian Institutes of Health Research; the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research; Canadian Frailty Network; Fraser Health Authority, Providence Health Care; and Alberta Health Services, as well as numerous collaborators at universities around the world. “This is not my research,” he said. “This is a program of research that has been collaboratively developed.”
Special guests in attendance included Tako Van Popta, Member of Parliament for Langley-Aldergrove and TWU alumnus; Tamara Jansen, Member of Parliament for Cloverdale and Langley City; Township of Langley acting Mayor Margaret Kunst; Langley City Councillor Rudy Storteboom; Township of Langley Councillor Blair Whitmarsh; James Voth of Intogrey Research & Development; and Cambian founder Bruce Forde, PhD.