Research
While periodic research has been ongoing for many years at Victoria Hospice, the Research department was formally established in 2007 under the guidance of Dr. Michael Downing who has been with Victoria Hospice since 1980.
Victoria Hospice is an international expert in palliative pain and symptom management, education and research on palliative care. Thirteen years ago, Dr. Downing and his team developed the Palliative Performance Scale – a tool for predicting survival. Today it is used in most palliative care facilities in B.C. and Canada and is gaining acceptance around the world. The PPS was developed in English and has been translated into six additional languages: Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Thai and Portuguese.
The team has develope and is currently testing a bereavement risk assessment tool to identify those people who might be at risk, a bowel function monitoring tool and several prognosis studies.
Other research projects include developing timely access and prognostic tools, creating standards to monitor palliative care across institutions and undertaking internal surveys that can lead to improved services for patients and families and ensuring that staff and volunteers find their work satisfying.
Working in collaboration with other research partners across the province and the country, the department carries out its work with the overall intent of advancing clinical quality care. It’s goal is to develop and test innovative methods & tools for clinical care that increase comfort, dignity and efficiency, and, at the same time, meet or exceed standards of care set by the Vancouver Island Health Authority and the Canadian Hospice and Palliative Care Association.
The research department monitors activities and work underway in other countries and publishes its own studies to contribute to the knowledge base in the growing field of palliative care. It also raises awareness, interest and financial support for palliative care research within the public and corporate sectors.
The Research Department is compromised of two part-time staff, and their work depends on the number of projects and grants received in a year. There are currently 13 projects underway (as of Aug., 2009).