Esther Lee

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Pediatrician and Palliative Medicine Specialist, BC Children's Hospital

Academic Affiliations

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia

Research Theme

Evidence to Innovation

Research Areas

Children's Health

Medical Complexity

Palliative Care

Pediatric Complex Care

Quality Assurance, Health Care

Contact

esther.lee@cw.bc.ca

Mailing Address

4480 Oak Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6H 3V4

Overview: Children with medical complexity (CMC) have a chronic condition, neurological impairment and/or need technology to live, for example a breathing tube. They are small but growing in number and require much health care resources. They are supported by not just their family but many medical and community professionals. Communication between each bubble is important as well as planning for the future. Since they are a new group of people needing medical care, we need to work towards improving our health system as well making sure the CMC and their families have a voice and is part of the research and policy building process.
Publications: Communication in disasters to support families with children with medical complexity and special healthcare needs: a rapid scoping review
Frontiers in Public Health
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1229738
2024
Trauma-Informed Care Practices to Support Caregivers of Children with Severe Illness: Protocol for A Systematic Review
Research Square
DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2507214
2023
Primary care family physicians' experiences with clinical integration in qualitative and mixed reviews: A systematic review protocol
BMJ Open
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067576
2023
Routine Elective Gastrojejunostomy Tube Changes Are Associated with Reduced Tube Complications and Radiation Exposure
Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
DOI: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000003615
2023
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with medical complexity
BMC Pediatrics
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03549-y
2022
Outcomes and factors influencing care decisions in life-threatening fetal and neonatal anomalies
Esther J. Lee and Simone Stenekes and Michael Harlos
DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.12.20152280
07/2020
The epidemiology of intermittent and chronic ataxia in children in Manitoba, Canada
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology
Michael S Salman and Esther J Lee and Anindita Tjahjadi and Bernard N Chodirker
DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.12081
02/2013
The impact of an oral rehydration clinical pathway in a paediatric emergency department
Paediatrics & Child Health
Quynh Doan and Mercedes Chan and Vicki Leung and Esther Lee and Niranjan Kissoon
DOI: 10.1093/pch/15.8.503
10/2010
Research: Upper Airway Drainage Study
Study with H. Perry (Resp) and T. Dewan (U of C). Retrospective study to see if positional therapy is effective for children with neurological impairment and secretion/aspiration concerns - in progress.
An Essential Subset of Good Outcome for Complex Care
Multisite study - Nora Fayed (PI-McMaster), Eyal Cohen, Joan Tranmer, Amal Khalil, Myla Moretti, Michael Sidra, Esther Lee, Francine Buchanan, Samantha Noyek, . The objective of this project, is to select which specific outcomes should be the basis of a learning system of wellbeing for pediatric complex care in Canada. Norman Saunders Complex Care Award $40,000 CAD.
Communication in disasters between health professionals and families with children with medical complexity or special healthcare needs
Knowledge synthesis review on this topic. Funded by Society for Patient Oriented Research (SPOR) Evidence Alliance and partnered with lab of Craig Mitton (UBC)- Neale Smith and Meghan Donaldson.
Intersection of Trauma and Grief: Parents caring for children with chronic complex conditions
Patient oriented research project with Beverley Pomeroy (FHA Department of Evaluation and Research Services and parent) and Mary Coleman (MSW, RSW, counsellor Canuck Place). 2020-onwards.

Grants

An Essential Subset of Good Outcome for Complex Care. Co-I for a multisite study - Nora Fayed (PI-McMaster), Norman Saunders Complex Care Award $40,000 CAD.
Principal Investigator (PI) for “Improving support for staff affected by critical incidents in hospital” with Dr. Theresa Newlove - Awarded $49,650 by the Medical Staff Association (MSA) of Children’s Women’s Hospital of BC via Medical Allied Staff Engagement Society (MASES). 2017-2019.
Principle investigator for "Enhanced communication and care planning: Responding, supporting, and planning with family in the NICU". QI project with Dr. Emily Kieran and Camara Van Breemen (NP). Awarded $20000 by the Medical Staff Association (MSA) of Children’s Women’s Hospital of BC via Medical Allied Staff Engagement Society (MASES). 2020-2021.

Honours & Awards

UBC Sauder Physician Leadership Program (Cohort 14, 2020)
Hudson Scholar in Pediatric Medicine - BC Children's Hospital. 2 year scholarship for health improvement science learning and experience. 2020-2022.

Stories See all

BCCHR researchers awarded CIHR funding to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic impacts on children, youth and families

Congratulations to the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) investigators and their teams who were awarded funding through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Operating Grant: Understanding and mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, youth and families in Canada.

Continue reading BCCHR researchers awarded CIHR funding to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic impacts on children, youth and families

Torin Halvorson and Hebah Hussaina awarded Vanier scholarships for immunotherapy and mental health research

BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) is proud to announce that two of its outstanding research trainees, Torin Halvorson, an MD/PhD student working with the Levings research team, and Hebah Hussaina, a graduate research assistant in the Brussoni Lab, have been awarded the prestigious 2024 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.

Continue reading Torin Halvorson and Hebah Hussaina awarded Vanier scholarships for immunotherapy and mental health research

Studies highlight the impact of the pandemic on children and youth’s mental health

The Pediatric Outcome ImProvement through COordination of Research Networks — which involves BCCHR — has published their latest research findings on mental health hospitalizations of children and youth throughout the pandemic. These findings led the team to a second study where they evaluated the relationship between hospital admissions for eating disorders and public health restrictions.

Continue reading Studies highlight the impact of the pandemic on children and youth’s mental health

Recognizing a brain injury quickly can save lives

Knowing how to recognize brain injury as early as possible and what to do is crucial to reduce potential long-term complications. Mild traumatic brain injuries are more prevalent in children and youth than adults, often as a result of sport- and recreation-related events.

Continue reading Recognizing a brain injury quickly can save lives

A decade of work advances care for children with cancer

Researchers at the Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute have been working for over a decade on the BC Pediatric Personalized OncoGenomics (PedsPOG) study, using genomics to identify treatments specific to an individual child’s cancer.

Continue reading A decade of work advances care for children with cancer

BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute brings Mini Science Night to Salmon Arm

Scheduled for May 2, in Salmon Arm, BC, Mini Science Night is a public lecture that explores the newest discoveries and innovations in health research. Admission is free and everyone in the community is welcome to attend, including students, teachers, parents, seniors, and local health-care professionals. There are 50 seats available to the public when registration opens on April 2.

Continue reading BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute brings Mini Science Night to Salmon Arm

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