Research summary
Aortic stenosis is a disease that leads to restricted blood flow in the heart. There are surgical treatments, but wait times can be long. Researchers are trying to figure out the best funding model for treating this common heart condition.
Dr. Harindra Wijeysundera, Canada Research Chair in Structural Heart Disease Policy and Outcomes, is one of them. He and his research team are involved in a unique partnership between health services researchers, implementation scientists, clinicians, hospital administrators and policy-makers to come up with a recommended funding model. This collaboration represents a new and rigorous approach to developing new health policy. Wijeysundera’s research program is using a combination of qualitative and health services methods to understand both the barriers and supports involved in funding reform.