Dr. King and her team are accessing data in the HRDP-SK!

The Virtual Cascade of Care Cohort (VCCC) is a pan-Canadian ‘virtual cohort’ study to document and analyze the hepatitis C virus (HCV) cascade of care in diverse groups of people with current or past injection drug use experience. Led by Dr. Alexandra King, the Saskatchewan component places a particular emphasis on engaging with Indigenous participants and will combine in-person questionnaires and HCV screening tests with health data, covering a five-year window. The VCCC study aims to map the full continuum of HCV care while identifying key characteristics that are presented as barriers and facilitators to care in this population. In addition, the study will explore how determinants of health, including inadequate housing, involvement with the correctional system and substance use, impact access to care. 

 The VCCC study will also examine health care utilization patterns, long-term health outcomes and the costs associated with HCV care in this population. The findings will guide public health strategies, inform simulation models for policy planning and support Canada's goal of eliminating HCV as a public health threat by 2030.

SCPOR Report: August Edition

Join us as we head back to school and close off summer with the August edition of SCPOR Report.

Dr. Mary Ellen Labreque and her team are set to begin using HRDP-SK data!

Another exciting project is accessing health data in the HRDP-SK! Dr. Mary Ellen Labreque and her team will begin using HRDP-SK data to highlight services provided by Saskatchewan Nurse Practitioners (NP) over the past 10 years, an area into which there has been no formal inquiry to date. Her team’s research will inform discussions with Saskatchewan’s NP education programs on what health concerns are commonly addressed by Saskatchewan NPs and how this information aligns with the current content of NP education in the province. Findings from this research will lead to continuing education, quality improvement and innovations to support recruitment and retention to stabilize rural resident access to primary care services. Additionally, findings will inform policy changes surrounding alternate NP funding models and priority areas for recruitment of NP clinical services.

SCPOR Report: July 2025

Take a break from the summer heat and dive into the July edition of the SCPOR Report!

Dr. Jyoptal Singh is beginning research in the HRDP-SK!

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease caused by damage to the lungs, and Singh's team aims to understand how access to early spirometry testing, such as in the Regina COPD Pathway, can impact COPD patient outcomes. 

Results from this work will contribute key data and evidence to help support the creation of a provincial COPD pathway. 

Dr. Liran Levin's project has been approved to start research in the HRDP-SK!

Dr. Liran Levin's research studying head and neck injuries resulting from domestic violence has been approved to start research in the HRDP-SK! Dr. Levin and collaborators will use historical healthcare records in Saskatchewan to understand how often head and neck injuries result from domestic violence.

The researchers hope to improve how medical professionals identify these injuries, to support better care with quicker intervention and fewer complications for patients. This is also the first phase of an overarching study that aims to create clear guidelines to help dental professionals identify, document, approach, and respond to domestic violence.

SCPOR Report June 2025

An update on the patient-oriented research and related topics and events taking place in Saskatchewan and around the country … check it out here!

Dr. Donkers and her team can now access SK Health Data

Every new project accessing data in the HRDP-SK is a win for Saskatchewan health research. Dr. Sarah Donkers will use HRDP-SK data to help determine the rehabilitation services available to people with neurological disorders across Saskatchewan. Limited access to neurorehabilitation services outside of Saskatoon and Regina lead to longer hospital stays or inadequate home support for many of those affected. By accessing Saskatchewan-specific data, Dr. Donkers and her team will assess current services, identify ways to enhance capacity and support best-practice implementation with the goal of improving equitable access to neurorehabilitation and enhancing patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.

Another Project Receives HRDP-SK Approval!

Dr. Brown, Dr. Guttman, Dr. Camden and their team, in collaboration with community based advisory groups, are seeking to develop a national surveillance system to monitor perinatal opioid use and investigate their impact on maternal and child health in Canada. Access to the HRDP-SK through Health Data Research Network – Canada’s Data Access Support Hub will ensure Saskatchewan data is represented. Findings from their study will be used to better understand the needs of people who use opioids in pregnancy and children with prenatal opioid exposure and improve the care they receive.

Another Project Receives HRDP-SK Approval

Saskatchewan pharmacists provide clinical services, such as prescribing for minor ailments and conducting medication reviews. By using HRDP-SK data, Dr. Mansell and his team will examine the uptake and delivery patterns of these services with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding of the evolving role of pharmacists in Saskatchewan and country wide.

SCPOR Report May 2025

It’s been a busy month and we have the news to prove it! Check out the May 2025 edition of SCPOR report.

HRDP-SK launches its first clinical dataset: Mental Health and Addictions Information System

A pivotal milestone in health data has been achieved with a new database in the Health Data Research Platform – Saskatchewan (HRDP-SK). The decade long journey to consolidate mental health and addictions data in our province and make it available for research has come to fruition and the impacts will benefit people and healthcare throughout Saskatchewan. Click here to read the full story.

SCPOR Report: April 2025

Spring has motivated us here at SCPOR with plenty of events and information for you! Check out this month’s SCPOR Report!

SCPOR Report: March 2025

Spring is here and we’re celebrating! Learn about other events and news happening at SCPOR and across Canada! SCPOR Report: March 2025

SCPOR Report: February 2025

Events, award calls, opportunities and more! Just some of the items you’ll find in this month’s edition of the SCPOR Report. Check it out here!

SCPOR report January 2025

Tired of the snow? Spend some time inside reading the January edition of SCPOR report instead. This month’s newsletter is jam packed with exciting things taking place in the SPOR community. Enjoy!

Another Project Receives HRDP-SK Approval

Utilization of virtual care has increased dramatically, jumping from roughly 10% of Saskatchewan visits in 2019 to 60% in 2020, but there is little guidance in how to evaluate its effectiveness. Effective patient-centered implementation is hampered without a framework for evaluation. To help guide improvements to Saskatchewan’s implementation of virtual care, Dr. Ivar Mendez and Dr. Scott Adams’ team is studying the factors that influence the successful deployment of virtual care solutions and designing a roadmap for an actionable strategy for virtual care delivery in Saskatchewan.

Another Project Receives HRDP-SK Approval!

Dr. Tim Bradley, pediatric cardiologist, and Dr. Darryl Adamko, pediatric respirologist, and have identified that Saskatchewan is the only province not participating in the 1996-established Canadian Congenital Anomalies Surveillance System, which aims to reduce the burden of preventable congenital anomalies in Canada. Together, Dr. Adamko and Dr. Bradley have created a project to address the gap in data on congenital anomalies in Saskatchewan, and through the HRDP-SK, will analyze existing health datasets to identify cases diagnosed at delivery or up to age 18. Their aim is to evaluate the feasibility of using these datasets to better understand the incidence and prevalence of congenital anomalies and examine how geographical and socioeconomic factors influence access to maternal, fetal and pediatric care in Saskatchewan.

SCPOR report: December 2024

Another year to review and new events to explore! Check out the latest edition of SCPOR report to view our annual report, meet new staff and learn about patient-oriented research events, products and opportunities! Click here to read.

SCPOR report: November 2024

Stay safe and warm – out of the snow, with this month’s stories of patient-oriented research! Check out the November SCPOR report today!