Dr. Brian Grunau
Project Title: Real-World Validation of Machine Learning Algorithms for a Wearable Cardiac Arrest Detection System
Funding amount: $348,074
This project aims to design a cardiac arrest detection system using wearable sensors that can “witness” cardiac arrests that occur in private locations, with the capacity to call 9-1-1. This project will utilize several sensors within smartwatches and rings to monitor participants in palliative care, medically assisted dying, and intensive care unit settings at the time their heart stops (i.e., cardiac arrest). Using artificial intelligence methods, data will be used to validate highly accurate artificial intelligence algorithms that can be run on a smartphone to immediately identify when a cardiac arrest occurs.
New approaches are needed to rapidly detect cardiac arrest and facilitate an emergent professional response. This study aims to identify the most effective sensors for detecting cardiac arrest and to link them to a smartphone app that alerts paramedics for timely interventions. With widespread use, this system has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for cardiac arrest in the general population, especially within high-risk subgroups.
Dr. Jeffrey Brubacher
Project Title: The association between cannabis and motor vehicle collisions – looking beyond THC
Funding amount: $1,644,750
Dr. Brubacher’s research has four aims. First, the project will investigate whether drivers with evidence of recent cannabis use have increased risk of collisions. Second, it will study whether the risk of crashing associated with THC is different in drivers with evidence of frequent cannabis use. They will hypothesize that these drivers will have tolerance to THC and their risk, at any THC level, will be less. Third, the research will investigate whether drivers with high levels of 11-OH-THC are more likely to have been involved in the crash. Finally, they will provide updates on the number of injured drivers in British Columbia who test positive for cannabis, alcohol and/or other drugs.
This research will build on the Cannabis and Motor Vehicle Crashes (CMVC) study, which has measured drug and alcohol levels and obtained police reports of injured BC drivers since 2011. Police reports are reviewed to determine which drivers caused the collision. In their analysis, they will compare drug detection rates in drivers who caused the crash with drivers who were “innocently involved” in a collision.
Dr. Corinne Hohl
Project Title: Optimizing outcomes for patients presenting to emergency departments with opioid poisoning
DEM Researchers: Brian Grunau, Andrew Kestler and Jessica Moe
Funding amount: $1,526,175
The research project aims to address the significant impact of the toxic drug crisis in Canada, where 21 Canadians die every day from opioid-related poisoning. Emergency Departments are critical access points for individuals who use drugs, yet the care provided to these individuals is often variable and lacks evidence-based standards. The project’s objectives are to establish a pan-Canadian registry of Emergency Department patients presenting with opioid poisoning, harmonize data collection across participating sites, describe variations in patient characteristics, clinical practice and outcomes, and derive a clinical decision rule to predict the risk of dying within 60 days.
The research team comprises experts in various fields, including emergency and addictions medicine, biostatistics, and knowledge mobilization. Importantly, individuals with lived/living experience and their families have been involved in developing the proposal and will continue to contribute throughout the study. The expected outcomes include advancing healthcare delivery, improving patient and provider experiences, and enhancing population health and health system sustainability for individuals with opioid poisoning. This research is crucial for addressing the opioid crisis in Canada and has the potential to significantly impact patient care and outcomes.