We believe that many of the most innovative and potentially high-impact ideas for improving pediatric IBD care are likely to come from those living with the condition daily. Because of this, ImproveCareNow has continued to support innovative project ideas through the ImproveCareNow Patient and Parent Innovation Fund. The awardee for the second year of this program has now been announced!

Made possible with support from the David R. Clare and Margaret C. Clare Foundation, the ImproveCareNow Patient and Parent Innovation Fund has already provided financial and network resources to two innovative projects in its inaugural year. In 2018, we are delighted to announce that the fund will support this team:

Dayton Children's Hospital

Shellie Doub, Beverly Blosser, Ginger Dahm, Sara  Hodgen, Sheryl Kent, Danielle Gulden

Clinical Partners: Kelly Sandberg, MD, MSc; Shehzad Saeed, MD; Kathryn Williams, DO, FAAP; Oliver Soldis, MD, FACS, FAAP;    Pam Morgan, BSN, RN;  Lee Beck, BSN, RN; Elizabeth Yarger, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC; Tia Hale, MSW, LSW

This project aims to create an interdisciplinary ostomy decision-making tool for families considering non-urgent ileostomy surgical decisions. The tool will help address concerns of patient self-image and the physical and social effects of an ostomy, and it will help educate families and reduce anxiety about the prospect of surgery. It will provide knowledge of and access to much needed resources for support and services prior to surgery ensuring a smoother transition to life with an ostomy. Ultimately, the tool will encourage shared-decision making for IBD patients considering surgical care.

Congratulations to these parent and patient awardees. We look forward to learning from you and to sharing the impact of your work with the ImproveCareNow community!

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About the ImproveCareNow Parent & Patient Innovation Fund

Parent & Patient Innovation Fund projects were selected for award based on their proposed projects’ alignment with the ImproveCareNow community’s mission to transform the health, care and costs for all children and adolescents with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as their potential to enhance and expand participation in the ICN community, giving more patients, parents, and others the opportunity to become part of this Learning Health System. In addition to funding, both awarded projects will receive clinician or improvement expert mentoring, project management support, and ongoing feedback from Network leaders and faculty. Read more about the Innovation Fund here.

About ImproveCareNow

ImproveCareNow is a Learning Health Network dedicated to transforming care, health and costs for all children and youth with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD) by building a sustainable collaborative chronic care network. We are enabling patients, families, clinicians and researchers to work together in a learning health care system to accelerate innovation, discovery and the application of new knowledge. We invite everyone interested in getting kids with IBD better right now to join us at improvecarenow.org!