Congratulations to Dr. Janet Curran and her team on receiving a $1.4 million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for their project, Examining the Effectiveness and Implementation of a Patient-Managed Discharge Communication Tool: A Mixed Methods Hybrid Type 1 Design Study. This study will be conducted in emergency departments in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. The project aims to evaluate the impact of a co-designed, web-based patient-managed discharge communication e-tool, available to adult and pediatric patients and their caregivers or support persons. The study will be conducted from 2023 to 2028.

Janet’s research program is focused on improving transitions in care for patients and their caregivers. Discharge communication is a crucial aspect of the care process, as most patients are discharged home following their visit. Poor-quality discharge communication can negatively affect patients’ experience and result in a lack of understanding of critical information shared during the visit, leading to unnecessary return visits to the ED. However, utilizing technology to deliver information to patients and caregivers can improve their recall and understanding of important information about the patient’s health condition and follow-up instructions. Janet values input to her research from multiple stakeholders, including patients, caregivers, clinicians, and administrators.