CanVECTOR is a team of researchers, patients, healthcare professionals, and students from across Canada who work together on developing research questions to improve the quality of care for all patients affected by Venous Thromboembolism Disease (venous blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis, DVT and pulmonary embolism, PE). This involves: deciding which areas of patient care require new research (What question should we be asking), designing the way research is done (How can we answer the question), conducting research safely and fairly (Getting the answer), and sharing the results with patients, healthcare professionals, the general public or anyone who would benefit from the answer (Sharing the answer).
Since our research aims to improve the quality of care for patients, we need to work with our patients, understand the issues important to them, and make sure we are asking the right questions and measuring success in ways that are important to you. While doctors and health professionals are experts in how diseases work in the body, patients live with the disease. Only patients understand the real worries, challenges and burdens of living with your illness, taking medications, and other impacts on your life.
Interested in learning more about how patients work with researchers? Watch this unique production by the platform titled No longer On the Outside - Conversation About Patients as Partners.
To learn more about becoming a patient partner, please email info@CanVECTOR.ca, and we will contact you with additional information.
Lisa Duffett (Ottawa, ON)
Carol West (Ottawa, ON)
The platform has 9 actively trained Patient Partners who are assigned to different CanVECTOR research projects and committees. Patient Partners meet monthly at Patient Partner Council meetings.
The VTE PSP is an initiative of the Canadian Venous Thromboembolism Research Network (CanVECTOR) in partnership with the James Lind Alliance.
The goal of the VTE PSP is to engage with patients, caregivers and clinicians to identify uncertainties about the prevention, diagnosis, management and long term impact of VTE and its associated treatments on patients, caregivers, and their families. These uncertainties will be used to guide future research.
To learn more or to get involved, please visit the #ClotTop10 webpage.