Dr. Fred Burge

Research Interests

Dr. Burge's research interests lie in health services research in primary care with a focus in the area of end-of-life care.

For a number of years, he and his colleagues have conducted administrative health data record linkage projects, examining how health services are provided to the dying in Nova Scotia. The care provided by family doctors has been of particular interest — especially how continuity of care influences health service utilization for the dying.  Recently, his team completed a large provincial mortality follow back study to examine unmet health-care needs of the dying.

Other areas of interest are focused on improving the quality of primary care, including chronic disease management, through the application of research evidence in this setting and developing tools and strategies to improve that care. He is also interested in research and evaluation of new models of primary care.

He co-leads the Dalhousie Collaborative for Primary Healthcare Research, an inter-faculty initiative to increase primary healthcare research (CoR-PHC).

Building Research for Integrated Primary Healthcare (BRIC NS) is also under his leadership (BRIC-NS). 

He is a founding co-investigator on the team of "TUTOR-PHC," the first CIHR funded interdisciplinary training centre for primary care research. This virtual centre is a joint initiative with graduate research students from across Canada.  He is particularly interested in supporting the development of the next generation of researchers in family medicine and this training centre is one vehicle to ensure they will be there (see web link).

Selected Grants

Nova Scotia COVID-19 Health Research Coalition $35,000
2020-2021                                                                                     
Primary Care and Pandemics: How do we get care to those who need it?   
NPI: F Burge, Lenskjold A; Co I’s: Marshall EG, Zed J, Christian E, Sabri S, Grandy M, Ricketts J, Holland M.

SPOR PIHCI Network & Larry A. Green Centrepril  
April 2020                                                                                     
Canadian Quick COVID-19 Primary Care Survey                                         
PI: Etz, R., Wong S; Co-I’s: Burge, F, Marshall EG et al.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Project Grant) $ 1,216,350 
2019-2023                                                                                   
Improving Palliative Care in the Home and Community: Building CAPACITI
(Community Access to Palliative Care via Interprofessional primary care Teams Intervention). Principal Investigators: Seow H, Burge F; Co-Investigators: Jakda A, Barwich D, Brouwers M, Howard M, Kelley ML, Kilbertus F, Kortes-Miller K, Marshall D, Pond G, Sinding C, Stajduhar K, Urquhart R, Winemaker S.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Operating Grant): SPOR PIHCI Network: Programmatic Grants) $1,000,000                      
2018-2021
Case management in primary care for frequent users of healthcare services with chronic diseases and complex care needs: implementation and realist evaluations. Principal Investigators: Hudon C (NPI),, Aubrey-Bassler K, Bighead S, Burge F, Campbell C, Chouinard M, Doucet S, Edwards L, Landry G, Ramsden V, Sabourin V, Sampalli T, Warren M, Young J; Co-Investigators: Brodeur M, Bush PL, Couture M, Couturier Y, Davis BM, Dubois M-F, Gander S, Gauthier G, Gauthier P, Gibson R, Godbout J, Guénette LA, Longjohn C, Légaré F, Morin P, Pluye P, Poder TG, Poitras M-E, Rabbitskin NJ, Ridde V, Roberge P, Denis DA, Roy J, Saulnier A, Valaitis RK.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Operating Grant): SPOR PIHCI Network: Programmatic Grants) ($2,290,224 from partners) 
2018-2021                                                                                   
Screening for Poverty and Related social determinants and intervening to improve Knowledge of and links to resources (SPARK) Study. Principal Investigators: Pinto AD (NPI), Aubrey-Bassler K, Burge F, Jackson LA, Katz A, Muhajarine N, Neudorf C, Robinson M; Co-Investigators: Allin S, Bayoumi I, Bellaire J, Bennett-Abuayyash C, Betker CR, Bhattacharyya O, Bloch G, Blonde Y, Brcic V, Burnside B, Clarke SV, Cooney J, Damba C, Edwards JM, Garg A, Ghose S, Gibson R, Glazier RH, Goel R, Gogan A, Goold S, Gottlieb L, Graham P, Greenberg A, Greiver M, Halas G, Jones A, Kanee M, Kiran T, Kryzanowski J, Lacetera N, Lees M, Lofters AK, Lohman W, Mahood S, Marshall EG, Murphy L, Nisenbaum R, Persaud N, Pham T-N, Purkey E, Rayner J, Roos NP, Sampalli T, Schwandt M, Shah AM, Singer AG, Smith RW, Thanos J, Ugolini C, Upshur R, Walji S, Webster F, Williams-Roberts H.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Operating Grant): SPOR PIHCI Network: Comparative Program and Policy Analysis) $124,050
2018-2020                                                                                         
Cross Provincial Comparison of Programs for Patients with Multimorbidity in Interprofessional Collaborative Family Practice Teams in Primary Health. Principal Investigators: Martin-Misener R (NPI), Aubrey-Bassler FK, Campbell CJ, Fortin M, Huras PW, Landry G, Sampalli T, Stewart MA; Co-Investigators: Baxter LN, Burge F, Chisholm NC, Christian E, Curran J, Edwards L, Fracini AC, Kephart G, Kohler G, MacKenzie A, Marshall EG, Meredith LA, Michael E, Mooney MA, Packer TL, Peacock KR, Ryan Carson S, Ryer A, Warner G.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Operating Grant): SPOR PIHCI Network: Knowledge Synthesis Grants) $25,000                
2018-2019                                                                           
Interventions to Support Transitions in Care for Children and Families with Complex Health Care Needs in the Community. Principal Investigators: Doucet SA (NPI), Azar R, Chafe RE, Chan KJ, Curran J, Dionne E, Gordon J, Montelpare W, Splane J, Vine JP; Co-Investigators: Breneol SL, Burge F, Burgess SA, Charlton PC, Clegg JE, Gorter JW, Horsman AR, Keeping-Burke LM, Loughlin G, Luke A, Lynk AD, Martin-Misener R, McIsaac JLD, McKibbon S, Morissette LA, Nagel DA, Riveroll AL, Roy J, Salijevic A, Scott CM, Thompson KJ.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Operating Grant): SPOR PIHCI Network Coordinating Office) $1,000,000                           
2017-2021                                                                                     
Primary Integrated Health Care Innovation Network Coordinating Office. Principal Investigators: Bhattacharyya O, Wong ST; Co-Investigators: Burge F, Chan KJ, Chatwood S, Drummond NA, Haggerty JL, MacKean PR, Muhajarine N, O’Beirne M, Roberts NL, Roy DA, Thomson M.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Operating Grant): SPOR PIHCI Network: Programmatic Grants) $999,952                          
2018-2021                                                                                     
SPIDER-NET, A Structured Process Informed by Data, Evidence and Research-Network: An approach to support primary care practices in optimizing the management of patients with complex needs. Principal Investigators: Greiver M (NPI), Burge F, Dahrouge S, Drummond NA, Ivers NM, Lussier MT, Manca DP, O’Brien PA, Singer AG, Twohig M; Co-Investigators: Bjerre L, Campbell-Scherer DL, Duhoux A, Dyck K, Gaboury I, Garies S, Grandy M, Kastner M, Kuziemsky CE, Lemelin J, Makowsky MJ, McDermott K, Menear M, Moineddin R, Morrison K, Motulsky A, Muggah E, O'Neill B, Pomey MPA, Presseau J, Pribramska I, Queenan JA, Sullivan F, Tremblay J-L, Turner JP, Vachon B, Wasilewski B, Webster F, Wong TL.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Patient-Oriented Research Collaboration Grants) $50,000
2017-2018                                                                                   
Evaluating the Involvement of Patient and Family Advisors in Quality and Safety Teams in Nova Scotia. Principal Investigators: Martin-Misener R (NPI), Burge F, Edwards L, Sampalli T; Co-Investigators: Baxter L, Cloutier JA, Curran J, Kohler G, MacKenzie A, Marshall EG, Michael E, Peacock K, Ryer A, Warner G; Co-Knowledge User: Dowling L; Collaborator: Blackmore G.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Project Grant) $310,781 
2018-2022                                                                                     
Practice patterns among early-career primary care physicians and workforce planning implications: a mixed methods study.                                   
Principal Investigators: Goldsmith LJ (NPI), Grudniewicz A, Lavergne MR, Marshall EG, Rudoler D, Co-Investigators: Burge F, Gibson R, Glazier RH, Hawrylyshyn S, Hedden LK, Hernandez-Lee J, Horrey K, Joyce M, Kiran T, MacKenzie A, Mathews M, McCracken R, McGrail KM, McPherson CM, Mitra G, Sampalli T, Scott IM, Snadden D, Tomblin Murphy GG, Wong ST; Collaborators: Blackie D, Brown K, Cramb L, McKinnon L.

Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control (ARCC) $350,000 
2017-2019                                                                                 
Developing New Palliative Care Quality Indicators and Benchmarks in Cancer Across Canada
Barbera L (Co-PI), Seow H (Co-PI), Burge F, Guthrie D, Lawson B, McGrail K, Sutradhar R.

Selected Publications

1. Burge F, Wong ST, Johnston S, Hogg W, Martin-Misener R, Haggerty J. Primary care performance measurement in Canada:  Progress and next steps of the TRANSFORMATION Study. Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research (CAHSPR) Conference, Montreal, Canada (May 29-31, 2018). Poster presentation.
2. Marshall EG, O'Connell C, Lawson B, Burge F, Gibson R. Do Primary Care Provider (PCP) Wait-Times and Hours of Availability Predict Their Patients’ Use of Other PC Providers and Emergency Departments (ED)? Results From the MAAP-NS Study.  The 45th Annual North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) Conference, Montreal, Canada (November 17-21, 2017). Oral presentation.
3. Martin-Misener R, Johnston S, Burge F, Scott C, Wong S, Blackman S.  Comparative Case Study of Primary Health Care Performance Measurement Initiatives Across Three Canadian Provinces. The 45th Annual North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) Conference, Montreal, Canada (November 17-21, 2017). Poster presentation.
4. Johnston S, Hogg W, Burge F, Wong S.  A Feasibility Study of an Automated Practice-Based Patient Survey Within the Transformation Project Practices.  The 45th Annual North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) Conference, Montreal, Canada (November 17-21, 2017). Oral presentation.
5. Marshall EG, O’Connell C, Lawson B, Burge F, Gibson R.  Do primary care (PC) provider wait times and hours of availability predict their patients’ use of other PC providers and emergency departments (ED)? Results from the MAAP-NS Study. Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research (CAHSPR) Conference, Toronto, Canada (May 2017).
6. Warner G, Lawson B, Law V, Sampalli T, Burge F.  Using an implementation science framework to evaluate an online portal to assess and manage frailty in primary health care. Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research (CAHSPR) Conference, Toronto, Canada (May 2017).
7. Marshall EG, O’Connell C, Burge F, Gibson R, Lawson B.  The more the better: a comparison of access, availability, and comprehensiveness of services between different models of primary health care (PHC) in Nova Scotia. Results from the MAAP-NS study. Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research (CAHSPR) Conference, Toronto, Canada (May 2017).
8. Wong S, Haggerty J, Burge F, Bouharaoui F.  Improving the performance reporting of primary care patient experience.  Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research (CAHSPR) Conference, Toronto, Canada (May 2017).  Oral presentation.
9. Langton, J., Wong, S., Abelson, J., Burge, F., Johnston, S. Optimizing patient input using deliberative dialogues: Lessons learned for enabling patient engagement about primary care performance measurement and reporting. North American Primary Care Research Group. Colorado Springs, Colorado (Nov. 12-16). Oral presentation.
10. Langton, J., McGrail, K., Wong, S., Peterson, S., Burge, F., Hogg, W., Choi, A. Developing population segments with different levels of complexity and primary care needs for performance measurement and reporting. North American Primary Care Research Group. Colorado Springs (Nov. 12-16). Oral presentation.
11. Wong, S.T., Burge, F., Langton, J., Johnston, S., McGrail, K., Abelson, J., Martin-Misener, R., Hogg, W. Pieces of a regional performance portrait: Examining access and continuity of primary health care. North American Primary Care Research Group. Colorado Springs (Nov. 12-16, 2016). Oral presentation.
12. Wong, S., Etz, R., Burge, F., Glazier, R., Langton, J., Phillips, R., Tamblyn, R., Hogg, W. Meaningful measurement: TRANSFORMing primary care by improving the science and reporting of performance. North American Primary Care Research Group. Colorado Springs (Nov 12-16, 2016). Forum presentation.
13. Martin-Misener, R., Burge, F., Wong, S. T., Johnston, S., Blackman, S., Scott, C., Parks, C., French, I. Comparative Case Study of Policies to Improve Primary Health Care in Three Canadian Provinces. North American Primary Care Research Group. Colorado Springs (Nov. 12-16). Poster presentation.
14. Lawson, B., Manuel, D., Tanuseputro, P., Burge, F., Sabri, S., Urquhart, R., Lau, F., O’Connell, C.  Identifying Patients with Advanced Chronic Illness at Risk of Dying using Primary Care Electronic Medical Record Data Developed Algorithms. North American Primary Care Research Group. Colorado Springs (Nov. 12-16). Poster presentation.
15. Lawson B., Manuel, D., Tanuseputro, P., Burge, F., Sabri, S., Urquhart, R., Lau, F., O’Connell, C. P235 Identifying Patients With Advanced Chronic Illness at Risk of Dying Using Primary Care Electronic Medical Record Data Developed Algorithms. North American Primary Care Research Group Annual Meeting, November 2016, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Nov. 12-16). Oral presentation.
16. Burge, F., Moorhouse, P., Lawson, B., Warner, G., Bedford, L., Sampalli, T., Wood, S., Gibson, R., Ghiz, A., Mallory, L., Andrew, M., Harnish, A., Taylor, D., Buckler, M.  P318 Implementing the ‘Frailty Portal’ in Community Practice: Evaluating Feasibility, Effects and Expansion Needs. North American Primary Care Research Group Annual Meeting, November 2016, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Nov. 12-16). Oral presentation.
17. Urquhart, R., Kotecha J., Kendel, C., Martin, M., Han, H., Lawson, B., Jorgensen, M., Bennett, C., Marshall, E., Tschupruk, C., VanGorder, B., Burge, F.  P354 Identifying Older Patients in Primary Care at Risk of Declining Health and Dying: Understanding the Implications of a Practice-Level Identification Algorithm. North American Primary Care Research Group Annual Meeting, November 2016, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Nov. 12-16). Oral presentation.
18. Marshall EG, O’Connell C, Lawson B, Burge F. What provider and practice characteristics predict the offering of non-office based services (care in other settings and community outreach) among family physicians? Findings from the Models and Access Atlas of Primary Care Providers in Nova Scotia (MAAP-NS) study.  Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research (CAHSPR) Conference, Toronto, ON, May 11, 2016.  Oral presentation.