St. Paul’s Hospital

Research at St. Paul’s Hospital

St. Paul’s Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine has a rich and productive history of clinical and administrative database research for more than two decades, and has been able to thrive because of longstanding support from the emergency physician group at St. Paul’s and, more recently, the University of British Columbia academic department of Emergency Medicine.

We have 10 clinician-researchers with advanced degrees in research methodology/epidemiology and biostatistics, including three with PhD degrees.

Our research director is Rob Stenstrom and his focus of research is infectious diseases, sepsis and septic shock, MRSA, and HIV point of care testing.  Other funded researchers include:  Devin Harris – stroke and transient ischemic attack; Garth Hunte – patient safety; Frank Scheurmeyer – acute coronary syndromes, atrial dysrhythmias, and procedural sedation; Jim Christenson – resuscitation outcomes, cardiac arrest, and acute coronary syndromes; Eric Grafstein – administrative databases, patient satisfaction, and emergency department waiting times.  We also have a developing research program in emergency department ultrasound, headed by Andrew Skinner.

Our department is currently involved in over a dozen nationally, provincially, and locally initiated studies, and we also conduct industry-sponsored studies.  Many of our newer physicians are in the process of beginning their research careers, and the research environment at St. Paul’s is ideal for this because of its excellent infrastructure, state-of-the-art administrative database, methodologic and biostatistical expertise, and funded research personnel.

Please have a look at our latest Department of Emergency Medicine Newsletter for St. Paul’s Hospital.