"We have a moral and ethical obligation to meet the needs of patients and answer their questions. With better patient engagement and design considerations, studies may be more efficient, increase recruitment and retention rates, produce better data, and, ultimately, improve care," says Dr. Stuart Nicholls Clinical trials can offer new treatment options and improve health care, but many patients face barriers and burdens to participating.

Dr. Stuart Nicholls knows this firsthand: over a decade ago, his family could not participate in a clinical trial for his infant daughter’s eczema due to the study’s significant financial and time commitments.

As a newly appointed Scientist in the Methodological and Implementation Research Program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI), Dr. Nicholls aims to address the needs of patients, families, and caregivers by incorporating their voices and perspectives when designing studies. This collaboration between patients, families, and researchers will help guide practices and have a lasting impact on research processes.

“We have a moral and ethical obligation to meet the needs of patients and answer their questions,” says Dr. Nicholls. “With better patient engagement and design considerations, studies may be more efficient, increase recruitment and retention rates, produce better data, and, ultimately, improve care.”

Dr. Nicholls previously served as the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Program Facilitator in the Office for Patient Engagement in Research Activities (OPERA) at OHRI’s Ottawa Methods Centre. He consulted with researchers to provide methodological guidance regarding all aspects of patient-oriented research and provided training and education on patient engagement.

The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa and supported by The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.