A new research initiative led by Marie-Pascale Pomey, a specialist in patient engagement and health systems transformation at the Université de Montréal-affiliated Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), will focus on improving post-treatment care for women over 65 undergoing endocrine therapy following breast cancer. The project, dubbed PRIME-OncoTBC, begins this year and will run for three years.
Pomey, a clinician-scientist with the CHUM’s technology and intervention assessment unit, and a researcher funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec and the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services, has a long-standing focus on participatory research and patient-professional partnerships. Her work aims to integrate the experiences of patients, caregivers, and citizens into the design and governance of healthcare systems.
PRIME-OncoTBC will employ a participatory action research approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, and actively involving patients throughout the project’s lifecycle. The goal is to develop an integrated care model that empowers patients while strengthening coordination between oncology services and primary care providers. This model seeks to address challenges related to persistent side effects, fragmented care, and long-term treatment adherence.
The research will specifically target women aged 65 and older receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy after breast cancer treatment. Pomey’s team will analyze, co-construct, and test the new integrated care model, with a focus on improving quality of life and health equity. The project aims to generate concrete recommendations for health policies and the implementation of similar integrated care models for breast cancer patients.
Pomey’s research program centers around three interconnected areas: analyzing the role of new health technologies in patient-professional relationships and care organization; co-creating interventions with patients and their families at all levels of the healthcare system, from public policy to clinical care; and developing measurement tools to analyze, support, and sustain patient engagement. This work builds on a growing body of research highlighting the paradoxes and complexities of telehealth platforms and the importance of integrating experiential knowledge into chronic disease management, as noted in recent publications from Frontiers and Wiley Online Library.
The Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain has recently emphasized the importance of innovation as a driver of value for both society and the economy, a context relevant to the development of new care models like PRIME-OncoTBC. The project’s outcomes are intended to be transferable and applicable to other cancer types and patient populations.
Researchers have also recently launched a new platform to help people with rare cancers, demonstrating a broader trend toward patient-centered care and the use of technology to address unmet needs in oncology. The PRIME-OncoTBC project will contribute to this evolving landscape by providing evidence-based strategies for improving post-treatment care and fostering stronger partnerships between patients and healthcare providers.