News and Media

BE-FIT study included as part of Alberta Innovates Partnership for Research and Innovation in Health System (PRIHS)

October 2020

The Implementation and Assessment of the elder-friendly BEdside reconditioning for Functional ImprovemenTs (BE FIT) following Surgery Study is featured on the Alberta Innovates website. The first quarter of our first year of implementation of our study is underway. We are excited to partner with patients, staff, collaborators and operational leaders to study the impact of our program in improving patient care. For an overview of the study, click here.

Dr. Khadaroo receives Grant from PRIHS for BE-FIT Surgery Study

June 2020

Dr. Khadaroo was recently awarded a Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Health System Award to continue research for the implementation and assessment of the elder-friendly BEdside reconditioning for Functional ImprovemenTs (BE FIT) following Surgery Study. This grant allows Dr. Khadaroo to work with patients to co-design an in-hospital exercise program that will focus on bed mobility, balance and strengthening while combining with pre-existing programs such as the global End PJ Paralysis movement and the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery care pathway.

Elder-friendly Approaches to the Surgical Environment (EASE) featured in Folio

February 2020

The clinical significance of the EASE Research study was featured on folio.ca after the recent publication about the study in the Journal of American Medical Association Surgery The study suggests that the implementation of EASE initiatives helped reduce major complications and death. Read the full study here.

EASE BIO Research featured on the Canadian Frailty Network

January 2020

Dr. Rachel Khadaroo MD, PhD, FRCSC, Dr. Amritpal Bhullar, PhD, and Dr. Ahmed Negm, MD, PhD presented in the Canadian Frailty Network's Webinar series on their ongoing research to understand how muscle characteristics provide an insight to overall health outcomes. You can watch the full presentation here.

Dr. Khadaroo's Storyboard wins top prize at the 2019 Canadian Frailty Network 2019 National Conference

Dr. Khadaroo presented the Elder-friendly Approaches to the Surgical Environment work at the National Conference on Frailty (Canadian Frailty Network) in Toronto in September 2019 and won 1st prize.

Surgical Infection Society video series continues to educate students

Dr. Khadaroo's and medical student, Stephanie Pillieci's 2017 video series in partnership with the Surgical Infection Society has been helping introduce medical students and nursing students learn about sterile techniques in the operating room. The video has had over 10,000 hits on Youtube, has been featured in a news article on campus and is included as part of University of Alberta Medical School and residency program curriculum. Furthermore, Dr. Khadaroo and Stephanie are examining the impact of their series in a random control trial proving the effectiveness of increasing medical students' knowledge on sterile techniques. Congratulations to the team on our their hard work!

Results of Frailty study featured in Reuters and United Press International

Dr. Khadaroo and her team has once again been featured in the press for their research contributions. The Impact of frailty on outcomes after discharge in older surgical patients has been highlighted in both Reuters and United Press International. Make sure to read about the relevance it has in health outcomes for older patients!

Studying the Impact of Frailty

February 2018Dr. Khadaroo's team and students Teresa Li and Jenelle Pederson published their paper examining the impact of frailty on outcomes for older surgical patients after discharge this month in the Canadian Medical Association Journal this month. The study highlights the importance of using screening tools to measure the degree of frailty in older patients as a prognostic tool to help identify patients vulnerable to a higher risk of adverse outcomes and readmission. Read more about it in the full publication featured on the CMAJ website here.

Dr. Khadaroo's Graduate Student receives 1st Prize at Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesia and ICU!

September 2017 Congratulations to Kimberly Macala on coming in first place at yet another presentation, this time for Best Abstract sent in by a Resident at the 34th Scandinavian Society of Anasthesia and ICU, Malmo for her presentation on Cinaicguat improves intra-abdominal sepsis survival in young and aged mice.

Congratulations to Gil!

June 2017Congrats to Gil Eamer for successfully completing his thesis defense! Gil has been involved in a number of papers with the EASE program, particularly the economic analysis of the EASE project. Thanks for all your hard work Gil and best of luck with your continuing residency!

Surgical Infection Society series on surgical sterility

April 2017Dr. Khadaroo and medical student, Stephanie Pilieci created a video series in partnership with the Surgical Infection Society to help guide viewers in prepping for the OR. Check out the video series here and the summary cards and quiz to accompany the series!

Dr. Khadaroo presented "Experience The Biology of Frailty" to Members of Parliament and Senators at the Health Research Caucus Reception on Frailty.

October 2016On October 24th, 2016, Dr. Khadaroo presented an interactive demonstration to MPs and Senators at the Canadian Parliament to provide insight and education on the biology of frailty. Her presentation was well-received and it gave members an opportunity to experience what it is like to experience frailty. What an exciting opportunity!

Dr. Khadaroo invited to Present at Parliamentary Health Research Caucus Reception on Frailty

July 2016.Dr. Khadaroo is one of sixteen experts invited from across Canada to present this October at the Parliamentary Health Research Caucus Reception on Frailty. Congratulations Dr. Khadaroo on this prestigious honour!

Summer Student Stephanie Pilieci receives Summer Studentship Award

July 2016.Congratulations to Stephanie Pilieci on receiving the Department of Surgery`s Summer Studentship Award for her work on ``Using Surgical Education Videos to Reduce Surgical Site Infection``. Way to go Stephanie!

Dr. Khadaroo's Graduate Student receives first Prize at Anaesthesia Research Day and the Department of Critical Care Medicine Research Day

May 2016.Kimberly Macala received first prize for Clinical Science at both Anaesthesia Research Day and the Department of Critical Care Medicine Research Day for her research on Cinaciguat Confers a Survival Advantage in Sepsis in Young and Aged Mice. Great job Kimberly!

Dr. Khadaroo's Graduate Student recieves a $50 000 CCCTG Research Fellowship Award

September 2015.Congratulations Kim Macala on receiving the Critical Care Clinical Trials Group Research Fellowship Award, for her project on the preclinical testing of novel treatment strategies for septic shock in a mouse model of advanced age. Way to go Kim!!

EASE Research featured in Surgical Frontiers 2015 Summer Edition

September 2015.Read about EASE and our Elder-friendly unit at the University of Alberta Hospital in this article featured in the 2015 Summer Edition of Surgical Frontiers!

The EASE Team presents our work at the 2015 TVN Conference

September 2015.Saad Salim presented at the 3rd Annual TNV Conference for Improving Care for Frail Elderly Canadians in Toronto, Ontario. Saad won 1st place poster prize. Congratulations Saad!

The Elder-friendly Unit has arrived!

August 2015.Congratulations to Dr. Khadaroo and the EASE Team on the launch of the Elder-friendly Unit. You can learn more about it here: Edmonton Journal, Global News Health Matters, Alberta Health Services, University of Alberta, and CTV News (August 19th broadcast, starting at 14 minutes)

Dr. Khadaroo receives a $10000 grant for the EASE-BE FIT substudy

July 2015.Congratulations to Dr. Khadaroo and the EASE-BE FIT team for receiving an Alberta Health Services Surgery Strategic Clinical Network (AHS Surgery SCN) Seed Grant!

Obese patients at high risk for post-surgical complications

June 2015.Dr. Khadaroo and the ACES Surgeons were once again featured for their research on post surgical complications in severely obese patients. Check out the Global News video, the University of Alberta news story.

The EASE Team presents our work at the Surgical Infection Society Annual Meeting

April 2015.Saad Salim and Nour AlMalki presented at the 35th Annual Surgical Infection Society Meeting in Westlake Village, California. Of the ninety-three abstracts that were submitted to the meeting, Dr. AlMalki ranked 7th. At the closing awards ceremony, Dr. AlMalki’s abstract was once again selected as one of the three “most interesting data.” She was invited to submit a full manuscript for submission with the possibility of receiving a monetary award! Congratuations Nour!