Sections
Welcome
About Can-SOLVE CKD Networks
Organization Structure
Research Projects
Patient Partner Activities
Training and Development Opportunities
- Patient Engagement Resources
- Indigenous Cultural Competency Resources
- Research Support Resources
- External Training Modules
Patient Voices
Contacts
Welcome
Welcome aboard! We are thrilled to have you join us. Your dedication and passion are invaluable to our cause, and we are excited about the unique contributions you will bring to our research and community efforts. We firmly believe that every contribution, no matter its size, can bring about substantial change.
About Can-SOLVE CKD Networks
Canadians Seeking Solutions and Innovations to Overcome Chronic Kidney Disease (Can-SOLVE CKD) is a unique patient-oriented kidney research network dedicated to transforming the treatment and care for Canadians with or at risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD). We are one of five chronic disease networks supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through Canada Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR). Funding is also provided by more than 60 partners, including provincial kidney care agencies, health charities, universities, and pharmaceutical companies. We emphasize equitable, patient-oriented research and uphold core values of inclusion, cultural competency, and collaboration. Our network values diversity and strives to include a broad spectrum of perspectives in our research. We are committed to building a culturally competent network and promoting mutual respect and understanding among our members.
Our CORE VALUES are based on the 6 R’s: Respect, Reciprocity, Relevance, Responsibility, Relationships, and Real. These principles guide our work and interactions, ensuring that research outcomes are meaningful and beneficial to patients and their families. Our work encourages participation and provides educational materials, with the goal of effecting change in the healthcare system and addressing real-life problems faced by those with CKD.
Organization Structure
Our organization consists of a leadership team, an operations team, and patient partners. Additionally, we have various committees dedicated to achieving specific goals.
Learn about our robust governance structure which guides the network’s activities.
Research Projects
We are currently in phase 2 of our projects. There are 9 ongoing research projects composed of three themes:
Theme 1: Identifying kidney disease earlier
| Project | Synopsis |
|---|---|
|
iCARE eGFR Knowledge Mobilization Strategy
|
Implementing the iCARE eGFR tool into diabetes care across the spectrum with messaging that is culturally appropriate for Indigenous peoples. |
| Kidney Check: Integrated Community-based Care for CKD and Risk Factors in Remote and Indigenous Communities | Point-of-care screening kidney health screening in rural and remote Indigenous communities |
| Implementing APPROACH tools to support shared decision-making in the management of heart disease for people with CKD | Implementing a new decision aid called My Heart Care and CKD across Canada and evaluating its use in clinical practice. |
| SAFE-CKD: Designing and implementing a safety net surveillance program for high risk CKD | Scaling up the use of the Kidney Failure Risk Equation into a new provincial kidney disease surveillance system. |
Theme 2: Developing better treatments
| Project | Synopsis |
|---|---|
| PRO-Kid: Implementation of a Patient-Reported Outcome Measure into Clinical Pediatric Nephrology Practice
|
Validating a new symptom assessment tool at sites across Canada and creating plans to disseminate the tool into clinical practice. |
| Mind the Gap: Addressing Mental Health Care Gaps for Canadians Receiving Facility-Based Hemodialysis | Addressing the gap in mental health care and support for people receiving hemodialysis. |
Theme 3: Delivering innovative patient-centred care
| Project | Synopsis |
|---|---|
| STOP-MED HD: Strategic Optimization of Prescription Medication Use in Patients on Hemodialysis (Phase 2) | Implementing a new deprescribing tool in hemodialysis clinics across Canada. |
| Adapting an eHealth intervention, My Kidneys My Health, to Meet the Needs of Diverse Populations with CKD in Canada | Adapting a new self-management website (My Kidneys My Health) to support the unique characteristics, preferences, and needs of diverse populations (i.e., Indigenous, gender-diverse, and/or ethnic minority populations) who have non-dialysis kidney disease. |
| Mobilizing Research Findings to Achieve More Living Donor Kidney Transplants | Developing and implementing solutions to help overcome barriers to living kidney donor transplantation. |
Patient Partner Activities
As a patient partner, you have the opportunity to engage in various activities. These include participating in peer review processes on research projects, attending project check-in calls, and serving as patient partners in research projects featured on KidneyLink or any of the nine phase 2 research projects currently underway. To ensure smooth communication, each patient partner is assigned an email account with cansolveckd.ca domain. Besides email, we also communicate through several social media platforms like X (previously Twitter), Facebook, and our online newsletter.
KidneyLink also serves as a valuable resource for patient partners, offering a comprehensive database of both active and past research related to chronic kidney disease. Additionally, we provide training modules online focused on patient-oriented research. An annual meeting is held, typically in the second quarter of each year, providing a platform for everyone to come together, share insights, and plan for the future.
Training and Development Opportunities
We have a diverse collection of training modules covering everything from research basics to knowledge translation. Here’s a list of modules to get you started:
A. Patient Engagement Resources
KidneyPro: Promoting Kidney Research in Canada
This module helps patients participate meaningfully throughout all stages of kidney research by introducing the basics of the research process and landscape in Canada.
A set of resources to help research teams communicate, identify common goals, and define roles for patients.
Patient Partners in Peer Review
An online learning module to help patients build the skills and experience to review research studies.
This module helps patients share their personal experience of living with kidney disease to help drive improvements in care.
Kidney Quarterly was a publication dedicated to stories that highlight the Can-SOLVE CKD Network’s impact on Canadian kidney health research.
B. Indigenous Cultural Competency Resources
This is an online learning pathway that aims to foster respectful partnerships between researchers and Indigenous peoples. It is designed to enhance researchers’ understanding of racial biases, Indigenous voices, and stories; focusing on the impact of colonization on Indigenous health and culturally safe health research practices.
This new video series and guidebook encourages health researchers to honour Indigenous ways of knowing and incorporate them into practice.
Land Acknowledgement Learning Series
This video series and guidebook helps participants embark on a journey towards reconciliation by using Land Acknowledgements with purpose, conviction, and integrity.
C. Research Support Resources
Canadian Nephrology Trials Network (CNTN)
CNTN was established to improve the relevance, number, and quality of nephrology clinical trials in Canada.
The Pathway to Implementation serves as a guiding document for project teams. Its purpose is to assist teams in developing an implementation plan for a new context, such as a program, health care setting, geographic location, or jurisdiction. Additionally, it helps teams identify the necessary documents and artifacts required to support the implementation of their project or intervention in other contexts, including scaling and spreading the intervention.
Knowledge Translation Principles
In this self-paced module, participants learn how to summarize essential messages from academic publications and effectively communicate that information using plain language. By mastering these techniques, learners can convey information clearly and concisely, which is especially valuable for creating impactful elevator pitches and enhancing communication skills in various contexts.
D. External Training Modules
Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Sex and Gender Training
This training course teaches participants to differentiate between sex and gender in health research, identify related differences in disease and treatment, integrate these variables into research, and evaluate studies for their inclusion or omission.
The Tri-Council Policy Statement Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS2)
This online tutorial is an introduction to the TCPS 2 for the research community. It focuses on the TCPS 2 ethics guidance that is applicable to all research involving human participants, regardless of discipline or methodology.
Inspiring Change 2.0: Creating impact with evidence-based implementation
Implementation science is a field that examines how to translate ideas and innovations into practical action. It focuses on breaking down the process of explaining and enacting change into evidence-based steps, ensuring desired outcomes are achieved. This self-directed mini-course, introduces implementation science concepts, helping individuals enhance their ability to inspire and support change. It’s a valuable resource for those new to implementation science, as well as experienced practitioners seeking a refresher.
Patient Voices
Through heartfelt testimonials, our patient partners share their personal experiences, shedding light on the profound impact of their participation. Their stories resonate with a deep appreciation for the opportunity to make a difference. Prepare to be inspired as their testimonials unveil the transformative power of volunteerism and the pursuit of better healthcare for all.
Contacts
Member list of Leadership and Operations Team
Member list of Indigenous Peoples’ Engagement & Research Council (IPERC)
Member list of Patient Governance Council (PGC)
