Giving

Department of Oncology

Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary 

In partnership with Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute

Department of Oncology

Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary 

In partnership with Arne Charbonneau Cancer Institute

Simon, Jessica

Palliative Medicine

Professor

EMAIL: jessica.simon@ahs.ca
Web Presence:

Biography

Dr Jessica Simon is a Professor in the Department of Oncology, with cross-appointments to Community Health Sciences and Medicine. She is the Division Head for the Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Oncology. Clinically, she works palliative care consultant, predominately in Calgary’s acute care hospitals.

Dr. Simon graduated in Medicine from the University of Edinburgh in 1995 with an additional Bachelors degree (honours) in Neuroscience. Her postgraduate training included a clinical fellowship in Alzheimer’s Disease research at the Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK; a clinical research fellowship in Stroke at the University of Calgary and she completed residencies in internal medicine and palliative care, University of Calgary. Originally from the UK, she has lived in Canada since 2001.

As a founding and executive member of the Pan Canadian Palliative Care Research Collaborative pcpcrc.ca, Dr Simon is active in supporting palliative care research across Canada.

Area of Focus

  • Palliative Care
  • Advance Care Planning
  • Co-design

Summary of Research

Summary of Research

Palliative care is defined by the World Health Organization as, “an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness. It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual.” Dr. Simon co-led the Palliative Care Early and Systematic (PaCES) Project (2018-2025), which aimed to improve the quality of life for Albertans living with serious illnesses. Funded by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Alberta Health, this knowledge translation project adapted, implemented and evaluated evidence-based practices for delivering early and systematic palliative care in advance cancer. PaCES project continues to focus on studies that support the timely and equitable integration of palliative care with serious illness care e.g. Telling the stories of Indigenous Cancer Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds

 

Advance care planning (ACP) is a process that supports adults at any age or stage of health in understanding and sharing their personal values, goals, and preferences regarding their medical care and is key in achieving patient- and family-centered care. Dr. Simon co-led the ACP CRIO program, an Alberta Innovates-funded team of researchers and knowledge end-users who worked together on “Advance Care Planning and Goals of Care Alberta: a population-based Knowledge Translation (KT) intervention study.” Over six years (April 2013 to Oct 2019) we studied the Alberta Health Services-led implementation of a provincial policy on ACP and Goals of Care Designations in Alberta and explored how to optimally implement widespread uptake of a formalized ACP framework, across a large population and throughout a complex, multi-sector healthcare system. Our impact report can be found at acpcrio.org

Area Of Focus

  • Palliative Care
  • Advance Care Planning
  • Co-design

Summary Of Research

Summary of Research

Palliative care is defined by the World Health Organization as, “an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness. It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual.” Dr. Simon co-led the Palliative Care Early and Systematic (PaCES) Project (2018-2025), which aimed to improve the quality of life for Albertans living with serious illnesses. Funded by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Alberta Health, this knowledge translation project adapted, implemented and evaluated evidence-based practices for delivering early and systematic palliative care in advance cancer. PaCES project continues to focus on studies that support the timely and equitable integration of palliative care with serious illness care e.g. Telling the stories of Indigenous Cancer Patient Multidisciplinary Rounds

 

Advance care planning (ACP) is a process that supports adults at any age or stage of health in understanding and sharing their personal values, goals, and preferences regarding their medical care and is key in achieving patient- and family-centered care. Dr. Simon co-led the ACP CRIO program, an Alberta Innovates-funded team of researchers and knowledge end-users who worked together on “Advance Care Planning and Goals of Care Alberta: a population-based Knowledge Translation (KT) intervention study.” Over six years (April 2013 to Oct 2019) we studied the Alberta Health Services-led implementation of a provincial policy on ACP and Goals of Care Designations in Alberta and explored how to optimally implement widespread uptake of a formalized ACP framework, across a large population and throughout a complex, multi-sector healthcare system. Our impact report can be found at acpcrio.org

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DEPARTMENT OF ONCOLOGY

ARTHUR J.E. CHILD COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTRE

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