Patients in Northern Ontario and beyond may soon benefit from innovative research led by Health Sciences North (HSN) and NOSM University. This initiative has received a significant boost with a grant of $757,350 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Dr. Robert Ohle, an emergency physician and vice-president of Academic and Research Impact at the Health Sciences North Research Institute, is the principal investigator for the study titled "Validation of a Clinical Risk Score to Identify Emergency Department Patients with Serious Causes of Dizziness." He also holds the position of NOSM University Chair in Indigenous and Rural Health Research.

Dizziness is a prevalent reason for emergency visits in Canada, with over 500,000 cases reported annually. While many instances are harmless, some can indicate severe conditions like stroke. Accurately identifying high-risk patients is crucial but often challenging, leading to unnecessary transfers to larger medical facilities and delays in essential treatment.

"CIHR’s investment is a strong recognition of the high-caliber research happening here in Northern Ontario," Dr. Ohle stated. He emphasized that validating the Sudbury Vertigo Risk Score (SVRS) in real-world emergency settings will provide clinicians across Canada with a reliable tool to enhance patient care.

Dr. Ohle is collaborating with co-investigator Dr. Ravinder-Jeet Singh, a stroke neurologist at HSN and an associate professor at NOSM University. Together with a team of NOSM faculty and clinicians throughout Northern Ontario, they aim to validate the SVRS, a clinical decision-making tool designed to help emergency physicians quickly and accurately identify patients at risk of serious conditions.

Dr. Singh remarked, "This is an important study focused on the emergency department population. One of the serious causes of dizziness is stroke, and this study is designed to validate a clinical risk score to help identify who might be having a stroke versus another cause of dizziness. If validated, it could have a significant regional impact, especially in smaller rural sites that lack access to medical imaging."

The project underscores the strength of the Academic Affiliation Agreement between HSN and NOSM University, which aims to integrate clinical care, academics, and research to enhance patient outcomes. Dr. Michael Green, president, vice-chancellor, dean, and CEO of NOSM University, noted, "This is exactly the type of innovation our partnership with Health Sciences North was designed to foster. When research, teaching, and clinical practice come together, patients — especially those in rural and Northern communities — see the direct benefit."

By validating the SVRS, the research team hopes to reduce unnecessary hospital transfers, decrease wait times, and allow patients to remain closer to home while ensuring timely access to specialized care when necessary. David McNeil, president of HSN and the Health Sciences North Research Institute, added, "CIHR’s support of this project reflects the national importance of research happening here in Northern Ontario. This is a strong example of how collaboration between HSN and NOSM University leads to discoveries that improve patient outcomes locally and across the country."

Additional co-investigators involved in this pan-northern study include Dr. Sarah McIsaac from Health Sciences North, Dr. David Savage from Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and ICES North, Dr. Taylor Lougheed from North Bay Regional Hospital, and Dr. Mohamed Abassy from Sault Area Hospital. If the Sudbury Vertigo Risk Score is successfully validated, it could be implemented nationwide, ensuring that patients everywhere benefit from this Northern Ontario-led innovation.