About

The Driving Research and Simulation Laboratory (DRSL),, directed by Dr. Alexander Crizzle, contains state-of-the-art driving simulators (car and a commercial motor vehicle) to study the impact of technology, rehabilitation, road design (e.g., intersections, roundabouts, bicycle lanes), and training. The DRSL also uses PTV microsimulation software to inform urban planning and road safety measures, and virtual reality for training purposes. The DRSL also has a full battery of clinical assessments (e.g., vision, cognition and motor tests). In addition, the DRSL also focused on issues related to alternative transportation, environmental applications (e.g., truck stops), and technology development (e.g., app creation).

All inquiries regarding the DRSL can be made to Dr. Alexander Crizzle at alex.crizzle@usask.ca or 306-966-2773.

Our research entails Maximing Equitable Relationships by Collaborative University Research & insights, among providers of health care to heart and stroke patients. Our research is carried out by interdisciplinary teams at two sites Saskatoon and Halifax. These sites were chosen because they are of manageable size and yet completely distinctive in history, demographics and economy. Similarly, focusing on two leading clinical conditions reduces variations in working conditions, however, the organization of the work is distinct. We study the working environments of health care providers and resulting evaluations of quality by patients and the providers, with providers having professional perspectives on quality and patients having opinions on quality.

• Rein Lepnurm, Scientific Director (profile) (email)
• Roy Dobson, Managing Director (email)

For general inquiries, please email the MERCURi Research Group at mercuri.rg@usask.ca.

Related areas of inquiry

• Patient Perspectives on Quality
• Interprofessional interdisciplinary collaboration
• Measures of Performance in Health
• Systematic Outcome Mapping in Hospitals

Recent publications emerging from work

Lepnurm R, Nesdole R, Dobson RT, Peña-Sánchez JN. The effects of distress and the dimensions of coping strategies on physicians’ satisfaction with competence SAGE Open Medicine 4: DOI: 10.1177/2050312116643907 (2016).

Lepnurm R, Dobson RT, Nesdole R, Peña-Sánchez JN. Modelling Factors of physicians’ satisfaction with competence. SAGE Open Medicine 3: 2050312115613352 DOI: 10.1177/2050312115613352 (2015).

Nesdole R. Lepnurm R, Voigts D, Roberts R. Reconceptualizing determinants of health: barriers to improving the health status of First Nations peoples, Canadian J Public Health, 2014; 105(3): e209-e213.

Nesdole R, Lepnurm R, Noonan B, Voigts D. (2014) Properties of the Old-fashioned and Modern Prejudiced Attitudes towards Aboriginals Scale, Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science (http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0036349).

Peña-Sánchez JN, Lepnurm R, Keegan DL,Dobson RT, Bermedo-Carrasco S. Payment method as a predictor of daily distress experienced by physicians, Journal of Hospital Administration, 2014; 3(5):1-13

Peña-Sánchez JN, Lepnurm R, Dobson RT, Keegan DL. Impact of payment methods on professional equity of physicians, Journal of Hospital Administration, 2014: 3(2) doi: 10.5430/jha.v3n2p50

Peña-Sánchez JN, Lepnurm R, Morales-Asencio JM, Delgado A, Domagała A, Górkiewicz M. (2013) Factors identified with higher levels of career satisfaction of physicians in Andalusia, Spain. Health Psychology Research, doi:10.4081/hpr.2014.1527.

Peña-Sánchez JN, Lepnurm R, Bermedo-Carrasco S. Latent gender inequalities in the well-being of physicians according to payment method for practicing medicine. Journal of Hospital Administration. 2013; 2(4): 7-14.

Lepnurm, R., Dobson, R.T., Voigts, D., Lissel, M., Stamler, L.L. (2012). What matters most to patients when they assess quality of care, Journal of Hospital Administration,1(2): 7-16

Lepnurm, R., Dobson, R.T., Stamler, L.L., Persaud, D.D., Keegan, D.L. & Brownbridge, B. (2012). The contribution of work environment to nurses’ assessments of the quality of patient care. Healthcare Management Forum, 25, 70-79.

Ongoing research

We continue to believe that highly motivated providers of care are more satisfied with the performance of their duties, reporting fewer compromises in care, than less motivated providers of care. Naturally, distress, leadership and organizational culture, all affected by managerial decisions  affect quality. We also believe that patients are becoming more able to assess quality, and have the right to do so.

Based on studies of 348 providers of health care in the hospitals of Saskatoon and Halifax our models of Satisfaction with Competence explain over 70% of variance using: distress, input resources, organization, equity and interference in personal life controlling for years in practice.

Our focus has expanded to include Patient Education and now follows patients into the community asking them how knowledgeable they are about their clinical condition, how capable they are in assuming self- care responsibilities, and what their actual habits are in exercise, diet, taking of medications, and getting enough sleep. Providers of care know that recovery from heart attack and stroke does not end upon discharge from hospital, especially when patients are discharged before complete or incomplete recovery with families and community programs expected to keep patients from being re-admitted to hospital.

Patients do have a role in assessing quality; however, the challenges are ongoing to ask the correct questions with patients not being fearful that criticising their caregivers will somehow affect their care. At the same time lifestyle changes are not easy to make in a society that generates sedentary habits, consumption of processed foods with excessive sugars, starches and fats, and accumulation of material wealth at the expense of culture and the environment. Success in making these changes also affect health care providers’ satisfaction with performance of duties, but difficult to measure.