Research opportunities now automatic for HHS patients

HAMILTON, Ont. – All patients receiving care at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) are now automatically enrolled in Explore Research, the hospital’s new patient recruitment process for research studies that launched in late February. Patients are notified about Explore Research during their hospital visit and can opt out at any time if they’d prefer not to be contacted about opportunities to participate in research studies.

“The response from our patients has been overwhelmingly positive, with very few patients choosing to opt out,” said Katie Porter (pictured), executive director of research strategy and operations for HHS. No one is registered for a study without giving consent, and all personal health information remains confidential.

Boosting candidate numbers
Explore Research promotes fair and inclusive ways for patients to contribute to medical advances and offers the potential to access new treatments through clinical studies. Health research depends on patients who volunteer to try new medications, treatment plans, and lifestyle approaches, all in the hope of driving innovation and finding new and better treatments and cures.

“As well as providing an equitable way to involve patients in HHS research, Explore Research will greatly enhance our studies by providing our teams with a much larger pool of potential candidates to draw from,” says Dr. Marc Jeschke, HHS vice president of research and innovation, and chief scientific officer.

Prior to Explore Research, patients were invited to take part in studies on a case-by-case basis by a member of their HHS health-care team, such as their doctor. But this approach didn’t give patients equal access to study opportunities, since some team members may not have been aware of research opportunities, or may not have had the time to talk about studies with their patients.

Why research matters
HHS is a leading academic and research health sciences institution. The hospital’s world-class researchers, clinician-scientists, research staff and learners work in labs and at patients’ bedsides, collaborating with the wider community to improve health outcomes for patients locally, nationally and globally.

“The more patients willing to participate in studies, the greater the opportunities to advance human health,” says Porter, who led the teams responsible for bringing this new study recruitment approach to HHS.

Meanwhile, other peer institutions from across Canada have reached out to HHS for advice on how to introduce similar patient recruitment programs at their hospitals.

Protecting patient privacy
Explore Research allows HHS researchers to screen patient records confidentially and privately through Epic, the hospital’s state-of-the-art electronic medical records system, to determine eligibility for studies. Researchers can then contact potentially eligible patients about opportunities, unless the patient has chosen to opt out.

Researchers must obtain Research Ethics Board approval to use Explore Research for a study before contacting patients to gauge their interest in potentially taking part. And only authorized HHS research personnel and key members of the patient’s health-care team can access their records for research recruitment purposes.

How research benefits patients
Many HHS doctors and staff are involved in cutting-edge research that’s improving health outcomes. As a result, HHS patients are often the first to benefit from innovative new treatments aimed at prolonging life and curing diseases.

HHS patient Joahnna Lalic was offered an opportunity almost two decades ago to take part in a clinical trial for a new drug, after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer so advanced and aggressive that even with treatment, her life expectancy was less than five years. She has been cancer-free for 14 years, and the trial is credited with saving her life.

HHS patient Joahnna Lalic has been cancer-free for 14 years, after taking part in a research trial that saved her life.

Clinical trials are a type of research study involving a drug, a procedure or device, or a change to someone’s lifestyle such as exercise or diet. Trials are used to determine safety and effectiveness of potential new treatments. They’re often done in collaboration with universities and industry partners in innovation, pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields provincially, nationally and internationally.

The drug Lalic tested was eventually approved for use in Canada, giving many ovarian cancer patients longer lifespans than anyone could have dreamed of just a few years ago. “I’m on my fourteenth year of being cancer-free because of a trial,” says Lalic.

Jessica Cruickshank, 30, was diagnosed with childhood leukemia when she was a teenager. She is alive and well today thanks to lifesaving treatment she received at McMaster Children’s Hospital.

Norfolk County resident Jessica Cruickshank was diagnosed with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a teenager. Cruickshank’s cancer had a high survival rate, and she has been cancer-free for 15 years. She was invited to join studies during her treatment as a way to support HHS research.

“When I was getting blood work, a little extra would be taken for a study,” recalls Cruickshank. “I also provided information about my lifestyle and diet for a study. By participating in studies I was paying it forward, because I knew that I was benefitting from those patients who came before me and took part in studies. I’m all for anything that can help with advancing cancer care through research.”