Innovation Anthology #723:

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Imagine being able to save millions of dollars in health care costs, with a substantial improvement in patient care.  

That’s the direction Dr. Leah Gramlich and her colleagues are heading with their research program called ERAS – Enhanced Recovery After Surgery.

Dr. Gramlich is an Edmonton gastro-enterologist and professor of medicine

DR LEAH GRAMLICH:  There’s a lot of evidence about how surgery can be improved.  But putting that evidence into practice and changing hard felt dogmatic approaches to surgery is very challenging.  And the system doesn’t support using data. So, for instance, it’s very relevant to think it’s unusual to think you don’t have to take a bowel preparation before colorectal surgery.  On the other hand, when they study it, taking a bowel preparation causes dehydration.  And, in fact, the evidence supports it, but changing those practices can be difficult. And it’s not just the doctors and nurses.  It’s the clerks in the out-patient admission clinics.  So the system needs to be shifted.  

Dr. Gramlich says ERAS has piloted 22 new guidelines for colorectal surgery.

Thanks today to ALBERTA INNOVATES HEALTH SOLUTIONS

FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY
I’M CHERYL CROUCHER

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Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

Alberta Innovates (formerly Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions)

As the newly formed Alberta Innovates corporation, we still fund top quality, internationally competitive health research and innovation activities to improve the health and wellbeing of Albertans. We provide leadership for Alberta’s health research and innovation enterprise by directing, coordinating, reviewing, funding and supporting research and innovation.

Working with our many partners  in the health system, we ensure that research achieves innovation in care, policy and practice, and that the needs of patients and clinicians influence research.

Our background

Alberta Innovates consolidation was launched November 1, 2016.

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions was established as part of the Alberta Innovates system by an Act of Legislation of the Government of Alberta. It is a agency  of the Government of Alberta. We receive a yearly allocation from the Ministry of Health and report through the ministry to the people of Alberta.

Our Mandate and Roles document reflects our role and responsibilities and outlines the government statues and regulations with which we comply.

Alberta’s Health Research and Innovation Strategy (AHRIS) sets out Alberta’s health research agenda for the coming decade to ensure our considerable investments in research align with our priority—to improve the health of Albertans.

Program Date: 2015-10-13