Laila Nasser
Student spotlight details
Laila’s research during the MSc in Surgical Science and Practice sought to improve patient outcomes using AI-based tools in the patients’ triage process. Following her success on the MSc, she was promoted to Quality Improvement (QI) Director and Assistant Professor.
Why I chose the MSc
'I was seeking additional training in quality improvement beyond the typically offered courses centred on methodology, and after speaking to the course tutors, I was convinced the MSc in Surgical Science and Practice was the best option for me. It explores how to be an academic physician that not only focuses on improving patient care from a QI lens, but one that also considers human factors and the impact of digital health among a multitude of other facets. This MSc teaches us not to view these methods in silos, but as tools that can work synergistically to improve care.
How the MSc impacted my professional trajectory
'Over the course of completing the MSc, I transitioned from working as a junior doctor to a consultant in a Canadian Emergency Department. This transition occurred as we escaped the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, when we witnessed Ontario Emergency Departments nearly collapse under the weight of increased patient volumes, leaving the remaining healthcare providers overwhelmed and departments understaffed. I sought to investigate if artificial intelligence-based tools could help fill this gap as those of us remaining in the field moved into a new era of healthcare. As AI becomes ubiquitous, I sought to find a safe introduction of AI into the triage process, to help divert care for patients who could otherwise be seen in our Virtual Emergency Department or by their GPs.
'The project I chose for my dissertation allowed me to take an active role in improvement work at my hospital. Since its completion in the year after finishing my residency training, I was promoted from Clinical Associate to Lecturer, and to Assistant Professor shortly thereafter at the University of Toronto. I have also begun to take on leadership in QI projects within the Emergency Department and just accepted the role of QI Director for Human Factors and Innovation in my workplace.
My Research
'The aim of my research was to determine the utility of a virtual machine learning algorithm to predict acuity scores for Emergency Department patients. If the AI-based algorithm could safely predict acuity, once validated, patients could use this tool from home and be provided a safe recommendation for how they should access care.
'We found that for the algorithm we were testing, the under-triage rate was greater than 5% and the inter-rater reliability was fair at best, meaning the algorithm would need further refinement before implementation for patient use to safely direct care. As the largest existing data set on virtual triage in ED patients, this study provides valuable insight into the potential for using AI-based remote triage to direct patients to safe avenues of care, and the future iterations and improvements that must be made to produce a reliable virtual triage tool.
Some highlights of the MSc
'The MSc provides you with the tools to think out of the box to address issues we have come across in our roles as healthcare providers. Choose a topic that ignites your passion and select a methodology aligning with your objectives. There are a plethora of investigative methods we learn beyond what is coined as “traditional” research which we cover in the modules that you have at your disposal!
'The MSc provides truly unique learning that allows learners to taste the Oxford experience while providing the flexibility to continue one’s medical career simultaneously. The in-person modules in Oxford were an exceptional experience, allowing for valuable networking opportunities and the exchange of ideas with prominent leaders and some of the most brilliant minds in the field. Fellow students from diverse backgrounds provided invaluable insight and formed lifelong connections in the form of friends and mentors. Additionally, being on the MSc you are matriculated into a college which provides a taste of traditional student life at Oxford in the historic city.
'If you are looking for training that combines traditional QI and research methodologies with their intersection into digital health and leadership, this is the ideal programme for you. The programme allows you to exercise your creativity in developing unique solutions to improve our current systems.
