Tom McLaughlin

Investigator and Pediatrician, BC Children's Hospital
Medical Director, Clinical Teaching Unit, BC Children's Hospital

Academic Affiliations

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

Research Theme

Evidence to Innovation

Research Group

Clinical Pharmacology

Research Areas

Health Insurance

Health Policy

Pharmaceutical Services

Public Health Systems Research

Quality of Health Care

Contact

tom.mclaughlin@cw.bc.ca

Mailing Address

4480 Oak Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6H 3N1

Overview: I am a general pediatrician with an interest in how the healthcare system works. My research explores areas where the healthcare system helps or harms the health of children and youth. This includes investigating the rules and policies of the healthcare system itself, and also includes investigating how hospitals can be made as safe and effective as possible.
Publications: Pediatric Lipid Screening and Treatment in Canada: Practices, Attitudes, and Barriers
Canadian Journal of Cardiology
Khoury, M. and Rodday, A.M. and Mackie, A.S. and Gill, P. and McLaughlin, T. and Harris, K.C. and Wong, P. and McCrindle, B.W. and Birken, C.S. and de Ferranti, S.D.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2020.05.035
2020
Pharmacare in Canada: The paediatric perspective,L'assurance médicaments au Canada: Le point de vue de la pédiatrie
Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada)
McLaughlin, T. and Jong, G. and Gilpin, A. and Hepburn, C.M.
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxz177
2020
Pharmacare in Canada: The paediatric perspective
Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada)
McLaughlin, T. and Jong, G. and Gilpin, A. and Hepburn, C.M.
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxz176
2020
All-terrain vehicle serious injuries and death in children and youth: A national survey of canadian paediatricians
Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada)
Gill, P.J. and Mclaughlin, T. and Rosenfield, D. and Hepburn, C.M. and Yanchar, N.L. and Beno, S.
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxy059
2019
Case 2: Weight lost... and found
Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada)
McLaughlin, T. and Korenblum, C. and Loverdos, I. and Toulany, A.
DOI: 10.1093/pch/19.8.e118
2014
A predeployment trauma team training course creates confidence in teamwork and clinical skills: a post-Afghanistan deployment validation study of Canadian Forces healthcare personnel.
The Journal of trauma
McLaughlin T and Hennecke P and Garraway NR and Evans DC and Hameed M and Simons RK and Doucet J and Hansen D and Annand S and Bell N and Brown DR
DOI: 10.1097/ta.0b013e318232e9e7
PubMed: 22072008
11/2011
High-throughput analysis of single hematopoietic stem cell proliferation in microfluidic cell culture arrays
Nature Methods
Lecault, V. and Vaninsberghe, M. and Sekulovic, S. and Knapp, D.J.H.F. and Wohrer, S. and Bowden, W. and Viel, F. and McLaughlin, T. and Jarandehei, A. and Miller, M. and Falconnet, D. and White, A.K. and Kent, D.G. and Copley, M.R. and Taghipour, F. and Eaves, C.J. and Humphries, R.K. and Piret, J.M. and Hansen, C.L.
DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.1614
2011
Research: Pharmaceutical Coverage and Availability for Children
Canadian children and youth have worse access to struggle to effective, palatable, and affordable medications than their peers in other Western nations, and I am interested in researching the causes, consequences, and solutions to this problem. I have recently authored a position statement for the Canadian Paediatric Society on pharmaceutical coverage for children in Canada. I am interested in further exploring how different jurisdictions in Canada compare in their pharmaceutical coverage, and how that impacts children and youth.
Reducing Unnecessary Inpatient Length-of-Stay for Children at Acute Care Hospitals
By some estimates, many children are admitted to hospital unnecessarily, in order to expedite tests or treatments that can be provided in outpatient settings. This increases costs and is also difficult for children and their families. I am exploring innovative ways of reducing unnecessary inpatient length-of-stay.

Honours & Awards

2019-2021 - Hudson Scholar (BC Children's Hospital)
2020 - Hospital Pediatrician of the Year (BC Children's Hospital)
2018 - "Rookie of the Year" (BC Children's Hospital)
2017-2019 - Frank Knox Fellow (Harvard University)
2017 - Michael Ondaatje Teaching Award (The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto)

Research Group Members

Jack Ho, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Jessie Luo, Research Assistant
Alyssa Wong, INSPIRE TRAINEE

Stories See all

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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