Research

We’re a curious group! We’re interested in learning about how communication improves patient care and how it benefits clinicians and the systems they work in.

We aim to contribute to new learning and use data to set a benchmark for best-in-class communication-related teaching and implementation practices.

We’ve published in leading medical journals and shared findings with colleagues at provincial, national and international peer-reviewed conferences.

Current research team members:

Scientific Associate
Jacqui Forsey, PhD

Clinical Research Fellow
Itthipon Wongprom, MD

Summer Research Student
Ezri Riehl-Good

Clinician  Investigator, The Institute for Education Research (TIER)
Warren Lewin, MD
Information here

There are currently no available positions in the Lab.

Past research team members:

Clinical Research Fellow
Maxwell Charles, MD

Clinical Research Fellow
Helen James, MD

Summer Research Student
Kyle Albuquerque-Boutilier, BA

Publications

Pilot study: Moving towards a scalable intervention for postgraduate communication skills training

By Lewin W, James H, Mizdrak M, Kaasa B, Strauss S, Toguri, JT (2024)[Read Publication]

E-Module learning for scaling serious illness communication skills teaching: A pilot study in family medicine and palliative care

By James H, Krueger P, Grossman D, Lewin W (2024)[Read Publication]

A GUIDE to help patients and families better understand serious illnesses: Mnemonic device provides way to teach learners about advance care planning

James H, Lewin W (2024)[Read Publication]

An educational initiative describing clinician teachers’ experiences following serious Illness communication skills faculty development training

James H, Forsey J, Albuquerque-Boutilier K, Gustin J, Lewin W (2025)[Read Publication]

Enhancing prognostic communication skills: Evaluation of the GUIDE e-module on illness trajectories and prognostic awareness

Charles M, Forsey J, Gardonyi G, Lewin W (2026)[Read Publication]

Collaborations

“What are you afraid of?” A mixed methods exploration of serious illness communication
with oncology patients on general internal medicine wards in Canada

Caven I, Lewin W, James H, et al. (2025)[Read Publication]

Co‐designing solutions to improve communication about serious illness during hospitalisation

Caven I, Frew M, Hyc J, Lewin W, James H, et al. (2025)[Read Publication]

Oncological serious illness conversations in internal medicine: Residents’ perspectives around challenges and solutions on the inpatient wards

Kim L, James H, Troup A, Lewin W, Caven I, et al. (2026)[Read Publication]

Triggers for serious illness conversations in adults with congenital heart disease: A Dephi consensus study

Schwertzmann M, Wolofsky K, Possner M, Goossens E, Lewin W, et al. (2026) — [Read Publication]