The Methods Platform focused on the transition to a Learning Health System (LHS) during the reporting period and offered a three-part series of LHS Workshops:
► Understanding Learning Health Systems: Informing Saskatchewan COVID-19 Policy created an understanding of LHS, how they can be applied to the Saskatchewan context and why patient engagement is a crucial aspect to their success. Clinician researchers Dr. Gary Groot and Dr. Jenny Basran discussed key characteristics of an LHS, examples of LHS being utilized to inform policy during the COVID-19 pandemic and their importance continuing into the future.
► PROMs, PREMs and Patient-Centred Care focused on how Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) and Patient-Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) can contribute to patient centred care in an LHS. These sessions created an understanding of LHS, how they can be applied to the Saskatchewan context and why patient engagement is a crucial aspect of their success.
► SCPOR partnered with the BC SUPPORT Unit and invited Danielle Lavallee, Lena Cuthbertson and Rick Sawatsky to present Reflections from British Columbia: What our patients and stakeholders are telling us about the priorities for patient-centred measurement. The session focused on the meaning of patient-centred measurement (PCM), including PROMs and PREMs, patient and stakeholder priorities for collecting and analyzing PCM data and reporting and using PCM results.
After attending the three-part LHS series, participants had an increased understanding of PROMs, PREMs, key characteristics of an LHS and the importance of progressing towards Learning Health Systems in the future. Respondents reported sessions were informative with engaging guest speakers.
PORLET Validity Testing
In 2021, the Patient-Oriented Research Level of Engagement Tool (PORLET) underwent validity assessment. A team of staff and Patient Partners incorporated changes based on the feedback, including adding a companion guide, updating the language to make it less confusing and reorganizing the criteria cues. PORLET 2.0 was launched as an updated version of the original product. It provides a simple way to consistently and fairly measure patient engagement when reviewing or writing grants or abstracts or training those new to POR.
Creating Cycles of Improvement
The Methods platform continued to focus on building the infrastructure needed to support SCPOR’s Learning Health System and offered a session titled Introduction to SCPOR’s Patient-Oriented Research Learning Health System Projects.
The session provided an introduction to SCPOR’s Patient- Oriented Research Learning Health System Projects as well as information about how to complete an LHS Expression of Interest and Stakeholder and Patient Engagement Application Development Award (SPEADA) submission. The first LHS Projects SCPOR will support will be selected in year one of SCPOR’s phase two grant.