First grad of new program tackling wait times

October 14, 2004

First grad of new program tackling wait times

by Kristen Loyst

	Brie Morey is the first Dalhousie graduate of the Masters in Applied Health Research.

Assessing wait times for orthopaedic surgery is one of the first tasks taken on by Dalhousie's first graduate from the Masters in Applied Health Services Research. Equipped with this innovative degree, Brie Morey admits it's no easy task, but she's got the inspiration and skills to help decision-making in health care become more effective.

A Halifax resident since 1992, Brie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and English from Dalhousie in 1999. Following her first degree, she moved from coast to coast trying out work in different sectors and positions, eventually returning to Dalhousie to take her Diploma in Health Services Administration. She learned of the MAHSR program through a School of Health Services Administration faculty member, and knew it was something worth pursuing.

To complete the residency component of her degree, Brie worked with the Nova Scotia Department of Health. During her residency, Brie participated on a steering committee devloping wait time monitoring strategies for orthopaedic surgery in the province, one of the most challenging health care issues.

This new program brings together health administration, communications, research and policy-making. Brie says, "The program made a link between academia and the 'real world.' It gave me the opportunity to connect with high-level health care stakeholders."

The MAHSR degree is offered concurrently by Dalhousie, the University of New Brunswick and Memorial University of Newfoundland. The University of Prince Edward Island has recently become the fourth institution to offer this degree. Brie worked collaboratively with students and faculty at these other universities through online discussions and teleconferencing. Brie chose Dalhousie above the other universities offering this degree since, she says, "Halifax is my home, and it's a great place to be. Besides, from a health services perspective, the expertise here is the best. Dalhousie has immediate links with all of the health care professions" After graduation, Brie will continue working with the Department of Health on a long-term basis. "I'm continuing on with the Department of Health, working on wait time monitoring and health information reporting, as well as measuring performance and developing new indicators to make health care more responsive," she says. "The ability to identify and understand different values, agendas and objectives - which I gained from the MAHSR - has helped me work effectively with a vast array of different health care stakeholders."