Last Updated : April 25, 2025
Supporting Health System Transformation
The Canadian health system is being transformed through new trends, new initiatives, and a whirlwind of changes on many fronts, including:
- federal, provincial, and territorial priorities (mental health, Indigenous health care, delivery of care in rural and remote areas)
- system restructuring (the Pan-Canadian Health Organization external review, the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare, impending changes to the price review process guidelines by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, Health Canada’s regulatory review of drugs and devices initiative)
- disruptive technologies (CAR T-cell and other cell and gene therapies, artificial intelligence, digital technologies)
- patient-focused care
- value-based health care
- the increasing demand for real-world evidence
- the transition from health technology assessment to health technology management.
In this era of system transformation, health technology assessment bodies and other stakeholders are simultaneously adapting to and supporting new approaches, new processes, and new priorities to support better health, better patient experience, and better value.
Join us as international, national, provincial, and local experts share their insights into how health technology assessment is itself being transformed in order to support health system transformation.
Program
Sunday, April 14, 2019
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM | Workshop Full-Day 1 A Practical Introduction to Designing Economic Evaluations Dr. Doug Coyle, University of Ottawa; Karen Lee, CDA-AMC; and Bernice Tsoi, CDA-AMC |
| 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM | Workshop AM-1 When, Why, and How to Conduct an Overview of Systematic Reviews Dr. Michelle Pollock, Institute of Health Economics; and Dr. Lisa Hartling, University of Alberta |
| Workshop AM-2 A Hands-on Introduction to BUGSnet: A New Comprehensive R Package for Network Meta-Analysis Prof. Audrey Béliveau, University of Waterloo; Devin Boyne, PhD(c), University of Calgary; Justin Slater, Lighthouse Outcomes; Dr. Paul Arora, Lighthouse Outcomes; and Dr. Darren Brenner, University of Calgary |
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| Workshop AM-3 Applying Different Study Designs for Comparative Effectiveness Research in Health Technology Assessment Dr. Lusine Abrahamyan, Toronto Health Economics and Technology Assessment (THETA) Collaborative; and Dr. Valeria Rac, THETA Collaborative |
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| Workshop AM-4 How to Use Person-Level Data and Regression Analysis to Show the Value for Money of Your Health Interventions Dr. Wanrudee Isaranuwatchai, St. Michael’s Hospital; and Dr. Kednapa Thavorn, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute |
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| Workshop AM-5 Would You Recommend This Drug for Funding? Understanding the Role of Expert Committees Sarah Berglas, CDA-AMC; Adam Haynes, CDA-AMC; Amanda Allard, CDA-AMC; and Suzanne Laplante, CDA-AMC |
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| 1:00 to 4:00 PM | Workshop PM-1 Rapid Reviews: From Policy Question to Research and Decision-Making Chris Kamel, CDA-AMC; Michelle Gibbens, CDA-AMC; Danielle Rabb, CDA-AMC; and Kristen Moulton, CDA-AMC |
| Workshop PM-2 Evaluating a New Diagnostic Test in the Absence of a Perfect Reference Test: Applications in Health Technology Assessment Dr. Nandini Dendukuri, McGill University Health Centre; and Ian Schiller, McGill University Health Centre |
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| Workshop PM-3 When Off-the-Rack Doesn’t Fit: Alternative Methods for Estimating Preferences for Specific Health Conditions Teresa Tsui, Toronto Health Economics and Assessment (THETA) Collaborative; Dr. Nicholas Mitsakakis, University of Toronto; and Dr. Murray Krahn, Toronto Health Economics and Assessment (THETA) Collaborative |
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| Workshop PM-6 Introduction to Matching-Adjusted Indirect Comparisons: Leveraging Individual Participant Data Kirsten Garces, Takeda Canada; Dr. Chris Cameron, Cornerstone Research Group, Inc.; Brian Hutton, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; and Tim Disher, IWK Health Centre |
Monday, April 15, 2019
| Time | Activity | Presentations |
|---|---|---|
| 7:45 to 8:45 AM | Breakfast Session M1 Finding Your Dumbledore and Setting Yourself Up for Life After Hogwarts — A Rapid Mentorship Session on How to Succeed in HTA Shannon Kelly, University of Ottawa (moderator); Dr. Jean-Éric Tarride, McMaster University; Dr. Michelle Mujoomdar, CDA-AMC; Dr. Chris Cameron, Cornerstone Research Group Inc.; and Dr. Lisa Hartling, University of Alberta |
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| 11:15 AM to 12:30 PM | Concurrent Session A1 — Panel Discussion Managing the “Expense” in Expensive Drugs for Rare Diseases Brad Alyward, MORSE Consulting (moderator); Elena Lungu, Patented Medicine Prices Review Board; Eric Lun, British Columbia Ministry of Health; Karen Voin, Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association; Dr. Megan Bettle, Health Canada; and Tanya Potashnik, Patented Medicine Prices Review Board A1 Webinar Recording |
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| Concurrent Session A2 — Panel Discussion Should Suboptimal Clinical Evidence Be Used to Inform HTA Recommendations? Alexandra Chambers, CDA-AMC; Dr. Christopher McCabe, Institute of Health Economics; Dr. Kevin Marsh, Evidera; et Bonnie Kam, Janssen Canada (moderator) |
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| Concurrent Session A3 — Panel Discussion Artificial Intelligence in Health Care: Promise and Challenges Chris Kamel, CDA-AMC; Dr. Jeremy Petch, University of Toronto; and Dornoosh Zonoobi, MEDO.ai |
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| Concurrent Session A4 — Panel Discussion Understanding the Burden of Illness: Cultivating Best Practices in Patient Evidence Dr. Chad Andrews, The Foundation Fighting Blindness; Dr. Mary Sunderland, The Foundation Fighting Blindness; Connie Côté, Health Charities Coalition of Canada; and Tamara Rader, CDA-AMC |
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| Concurrent Session A5 — Panel Discussion Toward a pan-Canadian Understanding of the Economic Impacts of Cancer Care on Patients, Their Families, and Society: Implications for Decision-Making Dr. Claire de Oliveira, University of Toronto; Dr. Beverley Essue, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer; Prof. Stuart Peacock, Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer; and Dr. Murray Krahn, Toronto Health Economics and Assessment (THETA) Collaborative |
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| Concurrent Session A6 — Panel Discussion The Power of Real-Time Observations to Drive and Sustain Large-Scale Change Dr. Murray Ross, Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement Board of Directors’ member and Vice President, Kaiser Permanente; John Flood, Prince Edward Island Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics Collaborative; Mollie Cole, Alberta Health Services; and Dr. Serge Gingras, Centre intégré universitaire de soins et services de santé de l’Ouest de l’Île de Montréal |
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| 1:30 to 2:45 PM | Concurrent Session B1 — Oral Presentations MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS Accelerating Provincial Spread and Scale of Appropriate use of Antipsychotic Drugs in Long-Term Care Tanya MacDonald, Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement Using Technology to Improve Access to Mental Health Services in Canada: A Review of the Evidence on Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Calvin Young, CDA-AMC Cost Analysis of Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS) Versus 10Hz Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Patients With Treatment Resistant Depression Andrew Mendlowitz, University of Toronto Stepped-Care Treatment for Depressive Disorder May Have Economic Benefits Dr. Charles Yan, Institute of Health Economics |
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| Concurrent Session B2 — Oral Presentations RURAL AND REMOTE HEALTH CARE Making the Link: Mixed-Method Exploration of Using Telehealth to Facilitate Services Related to Autism Spectrum Disorder for Families and Health Care Providers in Rural Areas of Western Newfoundland and Labrador Karen Tulk, Western Health Opioid Dependency Treatment for Dispersed Populations, The Alberta Rural Opioid Dependency Program Experience and Results Dr. Nathaniel Day, Alberta Health Services Utilization of a Logic Model to Facilitate Systems Thinking: A Novel Model of Care for Patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices Shannon Kelly, University of Ottawa Patients Support a Pharmacist-Led Best Possible Medication Discharge Plan (BPMDP) Via Tele-robot in a Remote and Rural Community Hospital Paula Newman, Northwest Telepharmacy Solutions |
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| Concurrent Session B3 — Oral Presentations PHARMACEUTICAL POLICY The Relationship of Conditional Regulatory Approvals to HTA Recommendation — Outcome and Timing Dr. Lawrence Liberti, The Centre for Innovation in Regulatory Science (CIRS) The Impact of Pharmaceutical Innovation on the Burden of Disease in Canada, 2000-2016 Prof. Frank Lichtenberg, Columbia University Biosimilars in Canada: Current Environment and Future Opportunity Elena Lungu, Patented Medicine Prices Review Board Values in the Canadian Pharmacare Debate: Implications for Pharmaceutical Policy and Systems Reform Ana Komparic, University of Toronto |
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| Concurrent Session B4 — Oral Presentations PUBLIC, PATIENT, AND CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT (Re)defining Legitimacy? Expertise and Public and Patient Involvement in Canadian Drug Assessment Prof. Katherine Boothe, McMaster University Bringing Citizen-Led Research to Life: Experiences of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network Citizens’ Panel Landscape of Prescription Stimulant Use Report Dr. Mina Tadrous, Ontario Drug Policy Research Network Including Patient Views in Lyme Disease Guidelines: Lessons Learned by INESSS Dr. Mélanie Tardiff, INESSS Comparing How Patients, Clinicians, and Managers Experience the Barriers to Meaningful Patient Engagement: Findings From a Scoping Review Umair Majid, University of Toronto B4 Webinar Recording |
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| Concurrent Session B5 — Oral Presentations DRUG COST TRENDS Highlights of New Medicines in the Pipeline Jared Berger, Patented Medicine Prices Review Board Expected Impact of New Therapies for Advanced Non–small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) On Patient Survival and Costs In Canada Over the Next Five Years: An Impact of Treatment Evolution in NSCLC (ITEN) Model Assessment Dr. Parneet Cheema, University of Toronto Uncovering the Forces Driving Costs in Canada’s Public Drug Plans Yvonne Zhang, Patented Medicine Prices Review Board Assessing the Potential Net Health Impact of Recommendations Made Through the Common Drug Review (CDR) Program Cody Black, CDA-AMC Impact of Increasing Wait Times on the Cost-Effectiveness of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy in large B-cell lymphoma: A Discrete Event Simulation Model Dr. William W.L Wong, University of Waterloo |
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| Concurrent Session B6 — Oral Presentations HTA METHODS How Living Systematic Reviews Can Support Health Care Decision-Making: The Case of Cannabis for Pediatric Epilepsy Jesse Elliott, University of Ottawa Evaluation of Drugs for Listing Purposes: A Change of Approach at INESSS Marie-Claude Aubin, INESSS Bayesian Networks as an Emerging Tool for Disease Risk Estimation and Clinical Decision-Making: A Real-World Example in Coronary Artery Disease Alind Gupta, Lighthouse Outcomes Inc. Using a Conceptual Value of Information Approach to Decide When to, and When Not to, Replicate Systematic Reviews Dr. Kednapa Thavorn, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute |
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| Concurrent Session B7 — Oral Presentations REAL-WORLD EVIDENCE Incorporating Real-World Evidence Into Cancer Drug Funding Decisions In Canada: A Qualitative Study of Stakeholders’ Perspectives Marc Clausen, St. Michael's Hospital, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute Interhospital Transfer or Direct Transport to Specialized Centres for Thrombectomy: Interpretation of Quebec Results in Light of Late-Breaking, Real-World Evidence Dr. Michèle de Guise, INESSS Real-World Safety of Bevacizumab with First-Line Combination Chemotherapy in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (MCRC): Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Studies in Three Provinces Jaclyn Beca, Cancer Care Ontario |
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| 3:15 to 4:30 PM | Concurrent Session C1 — Panel Discussion The Pan-Canadian HTA Collaborative: A Year in Review Ken Bond, Institute of Health Economics; Dr. Michèle de Guise, INESSS; Dr. Irfan Dhalla, Health Quality Ontario; Dr. Lesley Dunfield, CDA-AMC; Kristen Moulton, CDA-AMC; and Manik Saini, British Columbia Ministry of Health C1 Webinar Recording |
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| Concurrent Session C2 — Panel Discussion Chasing Leprechauns: The Curious Future of Cancer Drug Reimbursement, Clinical Trials, HTA, and Real-World Evidence In Canada Dr. Stuart Peacock, Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control (ARCC); Dr. Winson Cheung, Cancer Control Alberta; Dr. Christopher McCabe, Institute of Health Economics; Dr. Kelvin Chan, Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control (ARCC); and Carole McMahon, Patient |
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| Concurrent Session C3 — Panel Discussion Collaboration and Alignment Across Health Canada, CDA-AMC, and INESSS Dr. Trevor Richter, CDA-AMC; Sylvie Bouchard, INESSS; Dr. Megan Bettle, Health Canada; and Dr. Amy Sood, CDA-AMC |
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| Concurrent Session C4 – Panel Discussion Emerging Topics in the Implementation of E-Mental Health Services in Canada Dr. Danielle Impey, Mental Health Commission of Canada; Allison Bichel , Alberta Health Services; and Elisabeth Smitko, Health Quality Ontario |
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| Concurrent Session C5 – Panel Discussion Knowledge Translation (KT) and Health Technology Reassessment (HTR): Unravelling the Black Box! Rosmin Esmail, University of Calgary; Dr. Fiona Clement, University of Calgary; and Dr. Tom Stelfox, University of Calgary |
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
| Time | Activity | Presentations |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 to 8:45 AM | Breakfast Session T1 Electronic Ordering Systems and Computerized Decision Support Dr. Martin Reed, Children’s Hospital, Winnipeg |
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| Breakfast Session T2 Building the Next Generation of Health Economists — Sowing the Seeds and Nurturing the Crop Dr. Doug Coyle, University of Ottawa (moderator); Dr. Mike Paulden, University of Alberta; Dr. Jeff Round, Institute of Health Economics; and Karen Lee, CDA-AMC |
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| Breakfast Session T3 Addressing the Pressing Need for Modernizing and Expanding Training and Education in Health Technology Assessment in Canada Dr. Adrian Levy, Dalhousie University |
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| Breakfast Session T4 Harm Reduction: Making a Difference Through Policy Development and Implementation in Practice Dianne Dyer, Alberta Health Services; and Amy Woroniuk, Alberta Health Services |
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| Breakfast Session T5 Tackling the Thorny Issue of Patient Partner Compensation in Research and Health Care Zal Press, Patient Commando |
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| 9:00 to 10:15 AM | Concurrent Session D1 — Panel Discussion Enhancing Access to the Oncology Biosimilars in Canada — Challenges and Opportunities Dr. Chander Sehgal, Teva Canada Innovation; Sang Mi Lee, pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance; Jenn Gordon, Canadian Breast Cancer Network; Adam Haynes, CDA-AMC; and Ross Wallace, Santis Health |
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| Concurrent Session D2 — Panel Discussion Incorporating Patient Input in CDA-AMCand INESSS Drug Reviews: How is It Included and How Does It Inform CDEC, pERC, and CSEMI Deliberations? Sarah Berglas, CDA-AMC; Allen Lefebvre, Public Member, CDEC; Sylvie Bouchard, INESSS; Elizabeth Lye, Lymphoma Canada; Amanda Cresswell-Melville, Eczema Society of Canada; and Valerie McDonald, patient member, pERC |
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| Concurrent Session D3 — Panel Discussion The Costs and Benefits of Cannabis: Social, Medical, and Public Health Benefits Dr. M-J Milloy, British Columbia Centre on Substance Use; Dr. Mark Ware, Chief Medical Officer, Canopy Growth Corporation; Dr. Brian Emerson, British Columbia Ministry of Health; and Dr. Judith Glennie, President, J.L. Glennie Consulting, Ltd. |
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| Concurrent Session D4 — Panel Discussion Supporting Health System Transformation: A Fireside Chat with the CDA-AMC Executive Team Dr. Brian O’Rourke, CDA-AMC; Brent Fraser, CDA-AMC; Lynda Jobin, CDA-AMC; Dr. Michelle Mujoomdar, CDA-AMC; and Dr. Harindra Wijeysundera, CDA-AMC |
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| Concurrent Session D5 — Panel Discussion Emerging Issues in Health Economic Methods Karen Lee, CDA-AMC; Dr. Lauren E. Cipriano, Western University; Dr. Eldon Spackman, University of Calgary; Dr. Mike Paulden, University of Alberta; and Dr. Petros Pechlivanoglou, University of Toronto D5 Webinar Recording |
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| 10:45 AM to 12:00 PM | Concurrent Session E1 — Oral Presentations HEALTH SERVICES FOR SENIORS Functional Medication Management in Older Adults Living at Home: A Scoping Review Hadeel Abed, University of Alberta Reducing Inappropriate Medication Use Among Older Canadians Through Direct Patient Education and Engagement Janet Currie, Canadian Deprescribing Network Tablet-Based vs. Table-Top Cognitive Games for Older Adults: Which Are More Engaging? Dr. Adriana Rios-Rincón, University of Alberta The Use of Digital Storytelling in Older Adults with Dementia: A Systematic Literature Review Dr. Lili Liu, University of Alberta |
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| Concurrent Session E2 — Oral Presentations MEDICAL DEVICES AND PROCEDURES Incremental Cost-Effectiveness of Aspiration Therapy Versus Bariatric Surgery and No Treatment for Morbid Obesity Dr. Hai Nguyen, Memorial University of Newfoundland Introduction of New Health Technology in Surgery: Alberta Environment Scan (ES) Dr. Paule Poulin, Alberta Health Services An Innovative and Novel Approach to Assess a Non-Manual Room Disinfection Technology Heather Gagnon, Alberta Health Services HTA of New Technologies and Late-Breaking Trials: A Case Study of Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair Dr. Michèle de Guise, INESSS |
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| Concurrent Session E3 — Oral Presentations EQUITY, ETHICS, AND SOCIAL VALUES Musings on Equity, Opportunity Cost, and Health Economic Evaluation Tara Schuller, International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA ) / Institute of Health Economics (IHE) Picturing ELSI+ (Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues Plus Patient Values and Preferences) in Health Technology Assessment Dr. Murray Krahn, Toronto Health Economics and Assessment (THETA) Collaborative Social Values and Child Health Priorities: Empirical Evidence for Pediatric Drug Policy Dr. Avram Denburg, The Hospital for Sick Children Incorporating Ethics to Transform Health Technology Assessment in British Columbia Katherine Duthie, British Columbia Ministry of Health |
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| Concurrent Session E4 — Oral Presentations OPIOIDS Impact of Delisting High-Strength Opioid Formulations From a Public Drug Benefit Formulary on Opioid Utilization in Ontario Diana Martins, Ontario Drug Policy Research Network Opioids, Benzodiazepines, and Z-Drugs, Oh My! Introduction of a Personalized Prescribing Report to Alberta Physicians Delaney Wiebe, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta How Expanding Community-Based Naloxone Dispensing Can Impact Health Services Dr. Kay Rittenbach, Alberta Health Services; and Amy Woroniuk, Alberta Health Services Psychosocial Interventions in the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder: A Scoping Review Prof. Cameron Wild, University of Alberta E4 Webinar Recording |
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| Concurrent Session E5 — Oral Presentations KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION: EVIDENCE TO POLICY AND ACTION Evidence Into Action: Using Knowledge Translation (KT) to Improve In-Patient Diabetes Management Dr. Julie McKeen, University of Calgary Integration of a Simple Framework for Translating Evidence into Policy at a Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment Unit Dr. Nisha Almeida, Health Technology Assessment Unit of the McGill University Health Centre Development of a Policy Toolkit to Inform Canadian Policy-Makers Regarding Deprescribing Dr. Cheryl Sadowski, University of Alberta |
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| Concurrent Session E6 — Oral Presentations CLINICIAN ENGAGEMENT Health Economics In Clinical Practice Guidelines: The Know-Do Gap Carmen Moga, Institute of Health Economics The Opioid Wisely and Using Antibiotics Wisely Campaigns — A National Collaboration Between Choosing Wisely Canada and The College of Family Physicians of Canada Dr. Allan Grill, The College of Family Physicians of Canada Informational Discontinuity of Care and Culprit Drugs Johanna Trimble, Patient Voices Network Toronto Aortic Stenosis Quality of Life Scale (TASQ): Development of a Scale Based on a Canadian Aortic Stenosis Population and TAVI Patients Dr. Rima Styra, University Health Network |
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| Concurrent Session E7 — Oral Presentations ONCOLOGY Drug Access: How the Challenges Differ from Patients in Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients to People Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer Diana Ermel, Canadian Breast Cancer Network Development of a pan-Canadian Oncology Biosimilars Action Plan Sang Mi Lee, pCPA Initiatives to Improve the Timeliness of Cancer Diagnosis: Results From an Environmental Scan Dr. Michelle Pollock, Institute of Health Economics The Impact of Rarity on Oncology HTA and Funding in Ontario: A Review of pCODR Recommendations from 2012 to 2017 James Keech, Cancer Care Ontario |
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| 1:00 to 2:15 PM | Concurrent Session F1 — Panel Discussion Building the RWE Blueprint: A Coordinated Approach to RWE Use in Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Reimbursement Decisions in Canada Tarry Ahuja, CDA-AMC; Gayatri Jayaraman, Health Canada; Sylvie Bouchard, INESSS; and Dr. Kelvin Chan, Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control (ARCC) |
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| Concurrent Session F2 — Panel Discussion Development of a Provincial Program for Fecal Microbiota Transplant for Clostridium Difficile Infections Dr. Thach Lang, Alberta Health Services; Dr. Dina Kao, University of Alberta; Dr. Thomas Louie, University of Calgary; and Justin Riemer, Alberta Health Services (moderator) |
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| Concurrent Session F3 — Panel Discussion Clinical Decision Support Systems: Implications for Advancing Optimal Medical Imaging Use in Canada Christa Bergquist, CDA-AMC; Dr. Harindra Wijeysundera, CDA-AMC; Dr. Martin Reed, Children’s Hospital, Winnipeg; Dr. Brian Rowe, University of Alberta; Mark McMillan, Alberta Health Services; and Lynne Zucker, Canada Health Infoway |
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| Concurrent Session F4 – Panel Discussion Collaboration for Transformation: Patients as Partners, Driving Patient Safety Improvement Christopher Thrall, Canadian Patient Safety Institute (moderator); Sandi Kossey, Canadian Patient Safety Institute; Maryanne D’Arpino, Canadian Patient Safety Institute; and Katharina Kovacs Burns, Patients for Patient Safety Canada F4 Webinar Recording |
Last Updated : April 25, 2025