RESPONd Research and Evaluation Associate

Have you ever wanted to be a part of improving outcomes for cancer patients in Alberta? Do you have experience with research coordination and evaluation? If so, this opportunity in Cancer Care Alberta is for you. As an important part of the project team, the Research Associate provides oversight and coordination of all evaluation activities associated with the Remote Symptom Monitoring and Management (RESPONd) project funded by Alberta Innovates through the PRIHS 8 (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Health System) digital health call. The RESPONd study revolves around testing the impact of having patients report their symptoms from home between clinic ambulatory oncology appointments. The patient reported outcomes (PROs) will be monitored by a Registered Nurse (RN) who will offer direct symptom management supports to these patients virtually. This will require new clinical roles and workflows to be implemented. The study hypothesizes that patients who participate in the RESPONd study will require fewer emergency room visits and unplanned hospital admissions than those who are not in the study. Additionally, having more comprehensive PRO information available in advance will enable care teams to tailor care and proactively allocate clinic time and resources based on patient needs, potentially triaging patients with low symptom burden to alternative visit types that free up time for providers to consult with new patients. This position will work closely with the Scientific Lead, Program Lead, the PRIHS Change Management Consultant and Assistant, along with the study RN and clinical teams to support implementation, integration of new processes and workflows, and evaluation of the practice change across all sites involved in the project. The project aims to implement RESPONd in six clinical settings across CCA.

AHS has invested significant resources into Connect Care, however, without focused work to optimize how this Clinical Information System is used to promote better outcomes for patients and efficiencies in the system, its full benefits will go unrealized. The Remote Symptom Monitoring and Management (RESPONd) project will implement a new workflow where ambulatory cancer patients can report their symptoms from home between clinic visits, so that symptom management can be delivered in a timely manner, promoting better outcomes for the patient and the system. The RESPONd Research and Evaluation Associate will determine evaluation protocols, statistical analysis plans, develop surveys, conduct analysis, interpret data and lead dissemination efforts as required to achieve the outcomes of the RESPONd project. This position is required to work independently as well as collaboratively with the RESPONd project team, the Research and Evaluation Scientific Lead for Supportive Care Services and other provincial program teams to support all elements related to the evaluation of the RESPONd protocol. This position requires general knowledge and experience with research and evaluation methodology, data analysis and reporting, with a particular interest in the areas of Implementation Science, Quality Improvement, Digital Health and person-centred care. The RESPONd Research and Evaluation Associate will also lead the development of manuscripts that report on the outcomes achieved by RESPONd to ensure the data and change management practices employed are examined, explained and disseminated in a way that improves care for cancer patients in Alberta and beyond. The RESPONd Research and Evaluation Associate will provide leadership in presenting detailed research and evaluation results in meetings, scientific conferences and related settings both within and outside the organization.

Master's Degree in Social Sciences, Epidemiology/Public Health, Community Health Sciences, Psychology or a related field required. At least 3 years' experience with quantitative and qualitative analysis in a healthcare environment. Must have excellent statistical knowledge and skills, and experience of working with large multi-facets datasets. Strong written and oral skills for the use in the development of oral presentations, summaries, reports, journal articles, systematic literature reviews and manuscripts, etc. Working knowledge and/or familiarity with several of the following programs: SPSS, STATA, SAS, EXCEL, ACCESS, REFWORKS, WORD, POWERPOINT, OUTLOOK, ADOBE WRITER AND READER, FLASH, PHOTOSHOP, etc. As this position will be involved in evaluating patient experience, there may be some contact with patients and/or staff in the scope of evaluation. This may be through focus groups, facilitating survey completion, or conducting one on one interviews. Further, due to the vast geography of the province, and the fact that we are interested in evaluating the equitable nature of these supports, there may be a requirement to contact patients via telephone to discuss any feedback they had around these projects

Self-directed with strong analytical skills, attention to detail, with an ability to handle multiple tasks. Ability to analyze data using SPSS, STATA, or SAS is essential. Excellent interpersonal and team skills with ability to work with little supervision

Ph.D in a related field desirable. Content expertise in Cancer, patient experience, qualitative analysis and clinical care would be an asset