Research | Baycrest

Baycrest researchers are developing unique, large-scale models that will be able to improve clinical decision-making.  Clinical decision-support systems enable the best evidence-based practice by helping healthcare professionals design individualized care plans that take life history, health status, brain function, and environmental factors into account.  The same approach can be used in the development and validation of new diagnostic tools, treatment interventions or prevention strategies.  With decision systems, all of this can be conducted in a truly transparent fashion, so clients and families are aware of the information used to guide care decisions.  Indeed, educational material for any of our stakeholder communities – consumers, clients, health professionals and trainees, governments, funding or philanthropic agencies – will become easier to create and will be transparently evidence-based.

The beneficial outcomes of using a decision system in patient care include:

• Tailored assessment using the best available evidence;
• Improved confidence in and understanding of clinical care decisions among clients and caregivers;
• Encouragement of a risk management approach to health through the use of prevention strategies;
• Empowerment of clients to monitor their own health indicators as they age, and efficiency in directing clients to the healthcare services most appropriate to their needs.

Our projects underway in this area are:

• Virtual Brain
• Virtual Ancestor