Research

Marshall, EG and Smith, V. “Primary Care Provider Perspectives and Practice Decisions: A Follow-up to the Models and Access Atlas of Primary Care in Nova Scotia (NS) Study.” 2015-2016. $5000 funded by Dalhousie, Research in Medicine

This qualitative study seeks to develop an improved understanding the processes and procedures currently in place in various primary care practices in NS with respect to taking on new patients.

Marshall, EG et al. “Models and Access Atlas of Primary Care Nova Scotia Practice Profiles: A Knowledge Exchange”  $50,000 funded by NSHA.

The objective of the practice profiles is to provide participants with findings from the MAAP study that are relevant to their practice in the context of primary care in their geographic location; provide an opportunity to build relationships between providers and the MAAP-study; and elicit provider feedback on the data results and future research.

  Munn, E., Marshall, EG., “Experiences and access to primary healthcare among refugees: a qualitative study” $5000 funded by the Dalhousie Research in Medicine program. 2016

This is a qualitative study designed to explore the experiences of refugees with primary healthcare in Halifax, Nova Scotia using focus groups.  Overall, this study will help to develop a better understanding of refugee health in a smaller urban setting. This has potential to help to inform policies, programs and services so they can be responsive to the needs of this community.

Bercu, S., Terashima, Y, and Marshall  EG. An examination of spatial accessibility to mental health professionals in Nova Scotia. 2016 (funded by NSHRF under the MAAP-NS study)

Using data from the MAAP-NS study, GIS mapping was used to examine the special accessibility to services related to mental health in Nova Scotia. This research is intended to provide planners, health officials, and policy makers the necessary information to guide future policies, plans and programs to improve access to mental health services in Nova Scotia.

Callaghan, K, Martin-Misener, R, and Marshall EG. A comparison of access to care in Nova Scotia primary health care practice models that include nurse practitioners. 2016

Using existing MAAP-NS data, this study is an exploration of models of care that include a nurse practitioner in Nova Scotia and compare the outcomes related to accessibility, availability and comprehensiveness of services for these various models. $5000 Funded by the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine, Research in Medicine Progam.

Marshall, EG et al. The lived experience of unattached patients in Nova Scotia: A mixed methods study. Grant under review

The proposed study aims to explore the experiences of unattached patients in relation to their health, health care needs, and search for a regular PHC provider. This is intended to be the first initiative in a larger program of research that aims to explore more deeply the issue of unattached patients, including: 1) scale up to quantitatively characterize unattached patients in Nova Scotia 2) prospective follow up of unattached patients in Nova Scotia to examine their health system use; 3) possible scale up of data collection to include unattached patients in Atlantic Canada, in alignment with the growth of the MAAP-NS study; and 4) exploration of providers’ decision making processes regarding how they decide whether or not to bring new patients into their practice. This broader, future exploration, built from the initial study proposed here, will complement the MAAP-NS study, which is focused on describing the practice characteristics of PHCPs in NS, by demonstrating patient impact and identifying opportunities  for intervention.