About us
The Ripple Effect will evaluate the implementation of the Medly program at PQWCHC and Unison Health. Through this project, the team will learn about barriers and facilitators to implementation and inform decision-making on future deployments across Ontario. Spreading and scaling the Medly program will expand its benefits, increase equitable access to care, and improve health outcomes for HF patients.Â
Objectives
Objectives of this project include:
- Determine whether the Medly program was successfully implemented in these community care settings using validated implementation outcome measures.
- Understand the perspectives of key stakeholders regarding the Medly program implementation after short-term use. 
- Identify areas to improve the implementation of the Medly program at these sites and provide recommendations and strategies to iterate implementation and scaling processes.
Team members
Kimberly Benn
Some may consider Kimberly to be a passionate plant mom who is obsessed with her house plants, but she likes to think of herself as an avid listener and someone who enjoys hearing a good story, especially an individual's personal story. Kimberly is passionate about hearing the stories of people because she believes that somewhere hidden within those stories are the answers, ideas, and small puzzle pieces that can help solve larger problems affecting other people.
Melanie Yang
Melanie Yang graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Honours Life Sciences from McMaster University. Her current project focuses on evaluating the implementation of a heart failure management program in community health centres in partnership with the University Health Network. Melanie is also a knowledge broker for the POND Network at the Holland Bloorview Research Institute.
Project Advisory Committee
Liben Gebremikael
Mr. Liben Gebremikael is the first Executive Director of TAIBU Community Health Centre. He has over 25 years of experience in the primary healthcare sector, social services, mental health and community capacity building and development field. He has worked as a Social Worker, Child & Family Therapist, Project Coordinator and Therapeutic Group Facilitator.
Dr. Monika Kastner
Dr. Monika Kastner is the Research Chair in Knowledge Translation and Implementation (KTI) at North York General Hospital, Associate Professor of Health Services Research in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto and Affiliate Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health. Monika’s goals are to improve the health of older adults and to advance the science and practice of KTI.
TRP Supervisors
Dr. Joseph Ferenbok
Driven to improve patient care, Prof. Ferenbok catapults projects forward with passion, wisdom, and a contagious chuckle. He is an Associate Director of the Health Innovation Hub, a Faculty of Medicine initiative intended to connect, align, serve, and facilitate the translation, innovation, and commercialization of 'Health Matters'.
