Highlighted Projects
We work with physician leaders to co-create projects that address important clinical questions and medical content in areas of strategic priority
Establishing quality improvement initiatives using clinic data and tools developed with Alberta stakeholders
Reducing unnecessary hospital laboratory tests in Canada through a multifaceted intervention, including virtual audits and feedback sessions, to save costs, minimize routine tests, and enhance patient safety.
Meeting the immediate needs of providers and Albertans by addressing the hesitancy of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant.
Reducing overused diagnostic tests and medications in the management of bronchiolitis in infants through multi-disciplinary, group facilitated audit and feedback.
Our Projects By Specialty
Anesthesiology
Developing a data dashboard for Calgary anesthesia departments
Tableau data dashboards can provide continual monitoring of physician practice and identify areas where practice change could improve patient outcomes.
Pediatric Anesthesia II – Outcomes
Anesthesiology practices used during pediatric tonsillectomy surgery at Alberta Children’s Hospital were assessed to determine the effect on patient outcome measures including post-operative discomfort due to post-operative nausea and vomiting, decreased oral intake and pain.
Preoperative Testing for Low Risk Patients
Preoperative diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests have little value for asymptomatic patients under-going low-risk non-cardiac surgeries. PLP examined the use of pre-op testing in Alberta to determine the frequency at which it occurs and to identify possible areas where it can be reduced or eliminated.
Tranexamic acid (TXA) use during Anesthesia for total joint replacements in Calgary
Does the use of intravenous tranexamic acid (TXA) by Calgary anesthesiologists during total knee and hip replacement procedures affect blood transfusion rates in the 72 hours following surgery?
Emergency Medicine
Optimizing a data dashboard for Calgary Emergency Departments
Health administrative data dashboards have the potential to provide clinicians with timely information that can positively affect their practice.
Sepsis in the ED: Emergency Physician Recognition and Treatment
Proper diagnosis and time to administering antibiotic treatment are critical factors determining the outcome of patients admitted to the emergency department. Calgary zone emergency physicians received data on their time from diagnosis of sepsis to the time an appropriate antibiotic therapy was administered.
Family Medicine
Antipsychotic use in Children and the Elderly
Provide physicians with knowledge of their antipsychotic prescription practice profile and monitoring program for patients on these medications.
Bariatric Surgery Referral
Chronic Heart Failure Quality Improvement Workshop Series
Participants viewed the webinars, followed by a live, online, team-based quality improvement workshop. Each workshop was facilitated by the project’s quality improvement team in collaboration with our partners.
Clinical Queries: Atypical Antipsychotics in the Elderly
Participants received information on the provincial trends for prescribing atypical antipsychotics in seniors and also a snapshot of the prescribing patterns in their own elderly patients.
Clinical Queries: Oral Anticoagulants in the Elderly
This project provided physicians with provincial prescribing trends of oral anticoagulants in seniors and a snapshot of how many of their senior patients are receiving oral anticoagulants.
Clinical Queries: Oral Hypoglycemic Agents
Physicians received data on the provincial prescribing trends of oral hypoglycemic agents and a snapshot of the demographics of their patients receiving oral hypoglycemic agents and type of pharmacotherapy used.
COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy: Safety & Acceptance
Guided by a clinical scientist, and a pediatric infectious disease physician, healthcare providers attended a webinar that addressed the immediate need to discuss receiving the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant with their patients and having meaningful discussions around the hesitancy of vaccination.
Diabetes Updates
Recognizing that diabetes is a chronic condition that is experiencing a surge worldwide, PLP worked with an endocrinologist, a nutritionist, an internist, and a family physician to present a four-part webinar series. Over the course of four weeks, participants learned about nutrition and the newer medications available for diabetes.
Diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in patients with hip fractures
The majority of hip fractures occur as a result of osteoporosis which may or may not have been diagnosed when the event occurs. The study examined how patients were diagnosed and treated for osteoporosis before and after they suffered a hip fracture.
Diagnostic Imaging for Uncomplicated Headache
Diagnostic imaging is not indicated in low risk headache patients with no red flags. The project aims to determine the incidence of diagnostic imaging for low-risk headache patients seen by primary care physicians.
Dyslipidemia Screening and Treatment in Alberta
Physicians enrolled in the ASaP initiative received information about on screening and management practices for their patients with dyslipidemia.
Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
How can your EMR help you provide better care?
Preoperative Testing for Low Risk Patients
Preoperative diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests have little value for asymptomatic patients under-going low-risk non-cardiac surgeries. PLP examined the use of pre-op testing in Alberta to determine the frequency at which it occurs and to identify possible areas where it can be reduced or eliminated.
Gastroenterology
Post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer in Alberta
Colonoscopies are often performed to screen and survey for colorectal cancers. There are many measures of quality in the provision of colonoscopy services. One of these is interval or missed cancer rates. Interval cancers are those not detected (potentially missed) after a screening colonoscopy or that develop within the recommended time interval between colonoscopies.
General Surgery
Bariatric Surgery Referral
Diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in patients with hip fractures
The majority of hip fractures occur as a result of osteoporosis which may or may not have been diagnosed when the event occurs. The study examined how patients were diagnosed and treated for osteoporosis before and after they suffered a hip fracture.
Preoperative Testing for Low Risk Patients
Preoperative diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests have little value for asymptomatic patients under-going low-risk non-cardiac surgeries. PLP examined the use of pre-op testing in Alberta to determine the frequency at which it occurs and to identify possible areas where it can be reduced or eliminated.
Provincial Cholecystectomy Conversion Rates
The objective of this project is to measure the provincial cholecystectomy conversion rate variance and its impact on whether the general surgeons of Alberta modify their own practice based on observed variance.
Hospital Medicine
Antipsychotic and sedative medication use in seniors admitted to Calgary hospitalists
Calgary zone hospitalists partnered with the Physician Learning Program to examine prescribing practices and determine if facilitated educational sessions could result in increased adherence to the principles of deprescribing and appropriate use of antipsychotics and sedatives in seniors.
Internal Medicine
Preoperative Testing for Low Risk Patients
Preoperative diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests have little value for asymptomatic patients under-going low-risk non-cardiac surgeries. PLP examined the use of pre-op testing in Alberta to determine the frequency at which it occurs and to identify possible areas where it can be reduced or eliminated.
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Medical and Surgical Management Practices for Hysterectomies in Calgary
Hysterectomies are the fourth most common surgical procedure in Alberta and an accurate reflection of hysterectomy rates and practice trends will allow Gynecologists to provide the best care for Albertan women.
Orthopedic Surgery
Diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in patients with hip fractures
The majority of hip fractures occur as a result of osteoporosis which may or may not have been diagnosed when the event occurs. The study examined how patients were diagnosed and treated for osteoporosis before and after they suffered a hip fracture.
Tranexamic acid (TXA) use during Anesthesia for total joint replacements in Calgary
Does the use of intravenous tranexamic acid (TXA) by Calgary anesthesiologists during total knee and hip replacement procedures affect blood transfusion rates in the 72 hours following surgery?
Pediatrics
Antipsychotic use in Children and the Elderly
Provide physicians with knowledge of their antipsychotic prescription practice profile and monitoring program for patients on these medications.
Pediatric Anesthesia II – Outcomes
Anesthesiology practices used during pediatric tonsillectomy surgery at Alberta Children’s Hospital were assessed to determine the effect on patient outcome measures including post-operative discomfort due to post-operative nausea and vomiting, decreased oral intake and pain.
Retina
Retinal detachment treatment patterns in Alberta
Retinal detachment is a serious eye disease in which the retina separates from the back of the eye. If left untreated, it could lead to permanent vision loss or blindness.
Urology
Preoperative Testing for Low Risk Patients
Preoperative diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests have little value for asymptomatic patients under-going low-risk non-cardiac surgeries. PLP examined the use of pre-op testing in Alberta to determine the frequency at which it occurs and to identify possible areas where it can be reduced or eliminated.
Geriatric Medicine
Antipsychotic and sedative medication use in seniors admitted to Calgary hospitalists
Calgary zone hospitalists partnered with the Physician Learning Program to examine prescribing practices and determine if facilitated educational sessions could result in increased adherence to the principles of deprescribing and appropriate use of antipsychotics and sedatives in seniors.
Clinical Queries: Atypical Antipsychotics in the Elderly
Participants received information on the provincial trends for prescribing atypical antipsychotics in seniors and also a snapshot of the prescribing patterns in their own elderly patients.
Clinical Queries: Oral Anticoagulants in the Elderly
This project provided physicians with provincial prescribing trends of oral anticoagulants in seniors and a snapshot of how many of their senior patients are receiving oral anticoagulants.
Neurology
Diagnostic Imaging for Uncomplicated Headache
Diagnostic imaging is not indicated in low risk headache patients with no red flags. The project aims to determine the incidence of diagnostic imaging for low-risk headache patients seen by primary care physicians.
Ophthalmology
Macular Degeneration
Intravitreal Injection Treatment Patterns by Alberta Retina Specialists for Wet Macular Degeneration
Preoperative Testing for Low Risk Patients
Preoperative diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests have little value for asymptomatic patients under-going low-risk non-cardiac surgeries. PLP examined the use of pre-op testing in Alberta to determine the frequency at which it occurs and to identify possible areas where it can be reduced or eliminated.
Retinal detachment treatment patterns in Alberta
Retinal detachment is a serious eye disease in which the retina separates from the back of the eye. If left untreated, it could lead to permanent vision loss or blindness.
Orthopedics
Preoperative Testing for Low Risk Patients
Preoperative diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests have little value for asymptomatic patients under-going low-risk non-cardiac surgeries. PLP examined the use of pre-op testing in Alberta to determine the frequency at which it occurs and to identify possible areas where it can be reduced or eliminated.
Psychiatry
Antipsychotic and sedative medication use in seniors admitted to Calgary hospitalists
Calgary zone hospitalists partnered with the Physician Learning Program to examine prescribing practices and determine if facilitated educational sessions could result in increased adherence to the principles of deprescribing and appropriate use of antipsychotics and sedatives in seniors.
Antipsychotic use in Children and the Elderly
Provide physicians with knowledge of their antipsychotic prescription practice profile and monitoring program for patients on these medications.
Clinical Queries: Atypical Antipsychotics in the Elderly
Participants received information on the provincial trends for prescribing atypical antipsychotics in seniors and also a snapshot of the prescribing patterns in their own elderly patients.