Dr. Furlan and her team will receive funding over five years for the project.
A project led by KITE senior scientist Dr. Andrea Furlan has received $2 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to study the delivery of chronic pain care.
This funding is part of a $26.6 million investment from CIHR and its partners that brings researchers, policymakers, health care providers, and people with lived or living experience together to improve the health of people in Canada through integrated care policies and practices.
The purpose of Dr. Furlan’s project is to share best practices in pain management through ECHO (Extensions for Community Healthcare Outcomes)—a virtual specialty medical education program.
“I am thankful to CIHR, Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research, and Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation for sponsoring this grant,” said Dr. Furlan who is also a staff physician at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and an associate professor in the Division of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, in the Department of Medicine of the University of Toronto.
“ECHO’s goal isn’t just to educate healthcare professionals but to ensure people living with chronic pain receive the treatment they deserve. With this funding we will study the implementation and dissemination of ECHO at UHN and our partner institutions across Canada.”
FIBRE director Dr. Azadeh Yadollahi and KITE scientist Dr. Sarah Munce are co-investigators on this project.
The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation is one of external sponsors for this grant.
Federal Minister of Health Mark Holland announced the funding at Toronto Western Hospital last week.
“Health research is paramount to ensuring that Canadians have access to world-class healthcare. With this investment today, we are continuing our record of investing in research as part of our commitment to strengthen health care in communities across the country,” said Federal Minister of Health Mark Holland.
“These research teams will address important health challenges we are facing, and their work will lead to improved care and better health outcomes for people living with serious health conditions.”
Dr. Furlan and her team will receive funding for five years.