The following are examples of some research projects and other collaborations initiated through the Health Services Research Roundtable network.
The economic benefits of needle exchange programs are most associated with preventing new HIV/AIDS cases, but needle exchange programs may serve the community in other ways that have been less researched. For example, needle exchange programs help reduce new cases of Hepatitis B and C, can help get clients in touch with necessary community services such as health care and drug rehabilitation programs, and decrease the number of used needles discarded in the community. The goal of this project, in collaboration with the Spokane Regional Health District, was to conduct a literature review to identify what has been measured as far as economic benefits and what information gaps still need to be filled to more fully understand the benefits (and avoided costs) provided to the community by needle exchanges. In addition, the project sought to investigate the feasibility of conducting an economic evaluation of the local needle exchange program. The results of the project were 1) a completed literature review and 2) a determination that the economic evaluation was not feasible due to the lack of sufficient local data.
For more information, contact: Dr. Erica Johnson, Professor of Economics, Gonzaga University, johnsone@gonzaga.edu
Opioid overdoses have become a National Crisis. The Medical Reserve Corps of Eastern Washington (MRC of EW) has teamed up with the Spokane Regional Health District, the Opioid Treatment Program and the Spokane County Sheriffs’ Office to embark on a training program to teach Deputies how to administer Narcan (naloxone) to opioid overdose patients in the field. Nationally, this program has shown great saving lives from opioid overdose. This project is establishing measurements and putting an evaluation plan in place in order to assess the outcomes of the program. Program stakeholders are also interested in understanding other opportunities to strengthen the program to prevent opioid overdose and promote well-being and recovery among opioid users.
For more information, contact: Dr. Sterling McPherson, Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Research, Director of the Program of Excellence in Addictions Research (PEAR), Director of Biostatistics and Clinical Trial Design, WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, smcpherson05@wsu.edu
In 2015, Frontier Behavioral Health services (FBH) and a CHAS Health clinic established a partnership to collaborate more closely in their care their approximately 7,000 shared patients in the Spokane, WA area. Central to this effort is the development of a two-component Care Connector program. The first component allows for a FBH Care Coordinator to assist CHAS patients by meeting with the client and the client’s healthcare providers. The Care Coordinator provides a variety of services, including education on diagnosis, symptom management, and helps to promote overall management and self-care. The second component places a CHAS medical provider on-site at an FBH location for a one half day per week. This service is designed to offer primary care to FBH clients at a convenient location. It is anticipated that this program will increase patient involvement in their healthcare resulting in improved overall outcomes. It is also anticipated that these initiatives will enhance coordination among providers by providing more in-depth knowledge of care history and care plans. This research employs four studies to gauge the impact of this program on patient and provider outcomes.
Research conducted by Dr. Andrea McCracken, formerly of Gonzaga University
For more information, contact: Mike Wiser (CHAS), mwiser@chas.org, or Kelli Miller (FBH), kmiller@fbhwa.org
Dr. Carmen Nezat, Professor of Geology, Director of Environmental Science, Eastern Washington University, reached out for some contacts to support an NSF grant application for a Scanning Electron Microscope. Several faculty from Gonzaga’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Dept. of Biology wrote letters of support for the proposal justifying the need for an SEM in the Spokane-Cheney area. Results of the grant application will be available in late summer or early fall, 2021.
For more information, contact: Dr. Carmen Nezat, Department of Geology, Eastern Washington University, cnezat@ewu.edu
Dr. Loriann Helgeson, Fieldwork Coordinator, is launching a new Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program at Whitworth University and is seeking placements for students to assist organizations while being able to learn in a field setting. The students need to be supervised by a licensed professional who works in behavioral health or with underserved populations of any kind. Dr. Helgeson is new to Spokane and is eager to establish these opportunities now in preparation for the students beginning the program in fall 2022. She was referred to several HSRR Steering Committee members, representing Innovia Foundation, Spokane Regional Health District, and Gonzaga’s School of Nursing and Human Physiology, who will introduce her to opportunities in the community.
For more information, contact: Dr. Loriann Helgeson, Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program, Whitworth University, lhelgeson@whitworth.edu
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